title: Human papillomavirus molecular testing in women with low grade cervical lesions: experience from an Italian hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, efforts have been made to identify molecular markers as potential screening tools in the early detection of cervical cancer precursors.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-eighty-two women admitted to the Colposcopy Unit of Tor Vergata University Hospital were enrolled in this study. The inclusion criteria were: i) Pap test with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL); ii) normal cytology but human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test positive for at least one of the most frequently detected five high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33 and 45). HPV DNA was detected with the HPV Sign kit and the type was assigned by pyrosequencing using the PyroMark ID System. E6/E7 transcripts of the high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45 were detected by the NucliSense EasyQ HPV kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 90 (49.5%) patients were HPV-DNA negative, whereas 92 (50.5%) were HPV-DNA positive. Single infections were detected in 55 women: HPV 16 ranked first (56.4%), followed by HPV 18 (21.8%), HPV 31 (9%), HPV 33 (7.3%), and HPV 45 (5.5%). Co-infections were detected in 37/92 (40.2%) positive cases; HPV 16 was detected most frequently (27/37), followed by HPV 18 and 31. All patients underwent HPV RNA testing: 47/182 (25.8%) tested positively while 135/182 (74.2%) were negative. HPV 16 E6/E7 transcripts was the most frequently detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of HPV E6/E7 oncogenic transcripts may be used as a molecular biomarker in women with ASCUS or LSIL to help identify women at risk of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paba
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ascone
authors.forename: Anna Angela
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Criscuolo
authors.forename: Fabbio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcuccilli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sesti
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piccione
authors.forename: Carlo Federico
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Perno
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciotti
mesh_terms: D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral