PCR DETECTION AND TYPING OF GENITAL PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN A NEW-BRUNSWICKPOPULATION

We have used a broad range of primers for HPV detection, using the pol ymerase chain reaction (PCR) so as to compare PCR typing of HPV with t he results of cytological diagnosis in a New Brunswick population refe rred to the out-patient clinic of the Saint John Regional Hospital. Th e primers selected were found to be capable of amplification with high efficiency, therefore we did not perform further hybridization analys is for specific identification of HPV types. Amplification of selected fragments for detection of HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33 was obtained from cervical swabs collected from 154 patients. Microscopic examinati on was performed in duplicate samples and the results compared with th e DNA-typing analysis. HPV of any of the above types was detected in 4 3 out of 154 patients. Among these, 32 patients showed single or multi ple infections with ''high-risk'' HPV strains 16, 18, 31 or 33. Cytolo gically normal or atypical samples with any of the HPV types tested am ounted to 17%, but increased to 56% in patients with CIN I, and to 100 % in patients with CIN II or III. Prevalence of ''high-risk'' types al one increased from 15% and 10%, for normal and atypical cases respecti vely, to 48% for CIN I, 75% for CIN II and 100% for CIN III. Our resul ts indicate that HPV detection and typing by this simple procedure can be a valuable indicator of cancer progression and thus can help to id entify individuals at high risk in pre-malignant stages of the disease . (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.