title: Increased prevalence of human papillomaviruses in the lower genital tract of pregnant women.
abstract: In order to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the lower female genital tract, cervical smears of 92 pregnant and 96 non-pregnant women, matched by age, were examined for the presence of HPV-DNA by means of Southern blot hybridization. All patients had negative PAP smears. Twenty-six (28%) of the pregnant women and 12 (12.5%) of the non-pregnant women were positive for HPV. HPV 16 accounted for 42% of all positive pregnant cases and only 25% of the positive non-pregnant cases. Smears of pregnant patients contained more than 10 pg viral DNA in 45% of the cases against 20% in the non-pregnant group. HPV 16 showed the most active replication in both groups. This study demonstrates an increased prevalence of HPV (preferentially of HPV 16) and a higher replication rate of viral DNA during pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000382:microbiology*; D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral