Disappearance of DNA HPV in sequential specimens of occult cervical infection in a "normal" population.
OBJECTIVE
The behaviour of occult infection in the uterine cervix was studied over one year in 175 women randomly selected, to determine if the infection persisted, disappeared or if the viral genotype became modified.


METHODS
An earlier study of the prevalence of HPV cervical infection detected 11 (6.2%) occult infections. Of these the infectious genotype could only be identified in five. One year later the infected women were subjected to further colposcopical examination and molecular hybridization testing.


RESULTS
In seven of the 11 cases with cervical occult infection, the DNA HPV genome was found to be completely absent at year-end. Colposcopic and cytological studies remained negative in all women.


CONCLUSIONS
The loss of DNA HPV in seven of the 11 previously positive women is probably due to variability in the number of cells that became infected in a situation where small numbers of copies are made. The high proportion of occult infection with uncharacterized viruses supports the view that this type of infection is often due to new genotypes, presently non-classifiable.
Velasco
J
J
Department of Surgery, San Agustín Hospital, University of Oviedo, Spain.
Fernández Blanco
C
C
López Carrascosa
I
I
Cueto Espinar
A
A
Sampedro
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003127:Colposcopy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D004279:DNA, Viral