Sequence variants of human papillomavirus type 16 from couples suggest sexual transmission with low infectivity and polyclonality in genital neoplasia.
Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) is causally involved in the pathogenesis of genital neoplasia, but important details of the natural history of infection and disease are not yet understood. Many individual HPV-16 DNA isolates differ by characteristic point mutations. In a study of the HPV-16 variants from genital lesions of 32 married couples, HPV-16 was detected in both the husband and the wife in 8 couples. Of these, 4 demonstrated identical HPV-16 variants between husband and wife, and 4 had mismatching HPV-16 variants. Five of 31 biopsies showed simultaneous presence of two different HPV-16 variants. The data suggest that sexual transmission of HPV-16 does occur, but with low infectivity, and that HPV-16-related premalignant lesions are frequently polyclonal.
Papillomavirus Biology Laboratory, National University of Singapore.
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Ho
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Tay
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Chan
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Bernard
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017354:Point Mutation; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D004279:DNA, Viral