title: Detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in cervico-vaginal scrapes of women with normal and abnormal cytology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cervical carcinoma. The study addressed the expression and detection of HPV genotypes in cervical and vaginal specimens of women with normal and abnormal cytology by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), each woman serving as her own control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants (127) were subgrouped into CIN-positive and CIN-negative, based on cytology screening, and endocervical and vaginal scrapes were collected by a gynecologist and placed immediately in saline. HPV DNA was assessed by PCR, and HPV genotypes were determined by hybridization of PCR products with type-specific biotinylated probes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 127 participants, 55 tested positive and 72 tested negative for HPV DNA. While there was no difference between the two groups with regards to age or to number of pregnancies, higher numbers of smokers and of women with multiple sexual partners and abnormal cytology were seen in the HPV-positive group (P < 0.001). HPV DNA was detected in the vaginal scrapes of all HPV-positive, but in none of the HPV-negative women (sensitivity and specificity = 1.0). Furthermore, the HPV genotype was the same in vaginal and endocervical specimens in all the HPV-positive women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV detection by PCR, using endocervical or vaginal sampling, is a sensitive and highly specific test for the identification of HPV infection, in particular in women with cytomorphologically normal cervices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Georges-Orthodox Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Finan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Irani-Hakime
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamim
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Sharide
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Daccache
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Almawi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D014621:Vagina / Q000821:virology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral