TRANSMISSION OF GENITAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTIONS IS UNLIKELY THROUGH THE FLOOR AND SEATS OF HUMID DWELLINGS IN COUNTRIES OF HIGH-LEVEL HYGIENE

To evaluate the transmission of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) thr ough the floor and seats of humid dwellings, samples were collected wi th a toothbrush from the Boor and seat surfaces of humid dwellings; sh owers, saunas and dressing rooms. The survey included 3 bathing resort s, 1 indoor swimming pool, 2 schools and 2 private homes. Polymerase c hain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the human beta-globin gene and HPV DNA. The results for HPV DNA amplification sere confirmed by Sout hern blot hybridization under low stringency using a probe mixture of HPV types 6, 16, 18 and 31. beta-globin could be amplified only from 1 sample taken from a dressing room of an indoor public swimming pool. No HPV DNA-positive samples were found. These results indicate that tr ansmission of genital HPV infection,ia floor or seat surfaces in the a bove dwellings in general or family use is highly unlikely.