Human papillomavirus DNA testing by PCR-ELISA and hybrid capture II from a single cytological specimen: concordance and correlation with cytological results.
OBJECTIVE
A persistent infection by high-risk HPV is now considered as the major cause of cervical carcinoma. The use of a single cytological specimen for HPV DNA testing by two different molecular methods was analyzed and validated.


METHODS
HPV DNA testing by PCR-ELISA and hybrid capture II HPV test (HC-II), was investigated on 317 cytological samples obtained from Italian women. Two hundred twenty-seven women were referred to virological lab for HPV DNA testing during cytological routine screening and 90 during a cytological and virological follow-up after a conization or hysterectomy.


RESULTS
Overall, the concordance between the two assays was high (K=0.87). Compared with PCR-ELISA, the HC-II showed a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 95.4%. Although the analytical sensitivity of the PCR-ELISA was higher, the performance of the two tests did not differ in recognizing HPV DNA positive patients with either low or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL or HSIL). HPV DNA positivity was directly correlated with the severity of cytological diagnosis (P<0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
In view of the comparable results obtained with the two assays and of the ease of use, and higher throughput of HC-II, it seems advisable, with a single cytological specimen, to employ the HC-II test as a first-line assay, either for screening or diagnosis, and to perform reflex PCR on positive samples, if typing of prevalent high risk HPVs is needed.
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral