SERUM IGG, IGM, AND IGA REACTIVITY TO HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-11 AND TYPE-6 VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES IN DIFFERENT GYNECOLOGIC PATIENT GROUPS

Serum samples from several groups of patients attending a gynecology c linic were analyzed by ELISA for specific antibodies recognizing surfa ce epitopes on intact human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 L1 vir us-like particles (VLPs) that were synthesized in vitro, In these samp les, positive IgG and IgM reactivities to HPV-11 L1 VLPs were, respect ively, 12% and 6% for 87 controls, 46% and 67% for 79 condyloma patien ts, 30% and 64% for 72 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia patients, 16 % and 19% for 63 pregnant women at time of delivery, and 5% and 0 in t heir 63 newborns. IgA reactivities were low and not significantly diff erent, The prevalence of IgG-positivity in HPV-6/11 DNA-positive patie nts increased from 46% with HPV-11 L1 VLPs to 76% when the sera were a dditionally screened with HPV-6 L1 VLPs, These data show that HPV-6 an d -11 L1 VLPs are effective antigens for serologic studies and they de tect type-specific antibodies.