CORRELATION BETWEEN POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION AND CERVICAL CYTOLOGY FOR DETECTION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION IN WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT DYSPLASIA

The aim of this study was to compare the ability of two methods, the p olymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cervical cytology, to detect HPV in fection. The study population included 222 randomly selected women wit hout dysplasia (controls) and 91 women with histologically confirmed d ysplasia (GIN II-III) (cases). In women without dysplasia, 8.6% had cy tological signs of HPV infection, whereas 15.3% were HPV DNA positive by PCR. In women with dysplasia, 72.5% had cytological signs of HPV in fection, whereas 90.1% were HPV PCR positive. The statistical agreemen t between the two diagnostic methods was low (controls: kappa=0.26, ca ses: kappa=-0.03). In total, PCR failed to detect 17 of 85 women with cytological signs of HPV infection, whereas cervical cytology failed t o detect 48 of 116 HPV PCR-positive women. In women with dysplasia, bu t not in women without dysplasia, the oncogenic HPV types were associa ted with cytological signs of HPV infection.