CERVICAL-VAGINAL AND INTRAANAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION OF YOUNG GIRLS WITH EXTERNAL GENITAL WARTS

To expand information regarding the epidemiology of genital human papi llomavirus (HPV) infection in young girls, girls with external genital warts were examined for the prevalence of cervical-vaginal or intraan al HPV infection. Cervical-vaginal wash specimens and biopsies of exte rnal lesions were examined for HPV genotypes 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, and 16 us ing Southern transfer hybridization with restriction endonuclease frag ment length analysis. Exfoliated cells from cervical-vaginal and intra anal canals were processed for cytologic study. Of 18 girls, 8 (44%) h ad cytologic or genomic evidence (or both) of cervical-vaginal or intr aanal HPV infection. Five had cervical-vaginal wash specimens that wer e positive for HPV genome and showed mild dysplasia. As is true for ad ults, young girls with external anal-genital warts are also frequently infected with HPV at internal mucosal sites. Determining the immediat e and long-term prognosis of infected children and those with intraepi thelial neoplasia will require appropriate prospective studies.