DETECTION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) DNA IN CERVICAL SWABS BY THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION - AN EVALUATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE METHOD IN PATIENTS WITH HPV 16-HARBORING CERVICAL LESIONS

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect human papilloma virus (HPV) type 16 DNA in cervical swabs from 37 patients with HPV 16 -harboring cervical lesions (15 carcinomas and 22 cervical intraepithe lial neoplasias). Primers amplifying a sequence of the human beta-glob in genome were used for internal control together with the HPV 16-spec ific primers. The cell samples were prepared for PCR analysis by two d ifferent methods: either by phenol/chloroform extraction or by boiling in the presence of a chelating agent. HPV 16 DNA was found in 27 swab s. The detection rates were identical with both methods of preparation . Four of the 10 false-negative swabs contained too little DNA to perm it amplification with the genomic primers. Excluding these insufficien t samples, the detection rate was 82%. Reasons for false-negative resu lts may include low cell numbers or failure to obtain cells representa tive of the underlying lesion. In conclusion, the PCR offers a satisfa ctory method of HPV detection in cervical swabs. Cell preparation can be restricted to simple boiling with a chelating agent. For optimal re sults, samples containing less than 2 x 10(4) cells should be discarde d, and genomic primers should be used for internal control.