GENITAL PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN GREEK WOMEN WITH HIGH-GRADE CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA AND CERVICAL-CARCINOMA

Fifty biopsies from high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HG-SI L) and 14 cervical carcinoma biopsies from Greek women were screened f or the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA sequences by Souther n blot hybridization and by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for th e presence of different HPV types. In high-grade SIL, HPV DNA sequence s were detected in 44 of 50 biopsies with the following distribution: 36% HPV 16, 12% HPV 18, 6% HPV 31, 6% HPV 33, 4% HPV 51, and 24% uncla ssified HPV types. In cervical carcinoma biopsies, 13 of 14 specimens were positive for HPV DNA sequences. Six biopsies were positive for HP V 16, three were positive for HPV 18, and four contained unclassified HPV types. Overall, of the total 64 biopsies, 57 (89%) were positive f or HPV DNA sequences. Of these, Southern blot hybridization alone dete cted HPV DNA sequences in 39 cases, whereas by PCR 18 additional speci mens were found to be positive for HPV. Among the HPV 16-positive biop sies, two samples produced a Pstl banding pattern very similar but not identical to that of HPV 16 prototype and were referred to as HPV 16 isolates. One HPV 16 isolate appears to carry a mutation within the ca rboxy-terminal half of the L2 gene that results in the loss of a Pstl site. The other HPV 16 isolate had a similar Pstl banding pattern to t hat previously reported as HPV 16 ''variant'' found in Cape Town [Will iamson et al., 1989, Journal of Medical Virology 28:146-149, 1994, Jou rnal of Medical Virology 43:231-237.] and in Italy [Li Vigni et al., 1 994, 2nd international Congress of Papillomavirus in Human Pathology ( Abstracts), p 100.]. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.