title: Human papillomavirus infection in atrophic smears. A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in atrophic smears can be misleading and may produce the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A routine cervical smear in a 62-year-old female revealed an atrophic smear with nuclear changes suggestive of a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). An estrogen cream for topical vaginal use was prescribed. A new smear was collected seven days later and revealed koilocytosis but no evidence of HSIL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Koilocytosis is a cellular finding of mature epithelial cells. The use of estrogen produces maturation of HPV-infected basal cells, allowing a correct diagnosis of this disease in patients with atrophic smears.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luzzatto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recktenvald
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luzzatto
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens