INSITU HYBRIDIZATION ANALYSIS OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN OROFACIAL LESIONS USING A CONSENSUS BIOTINYLATED PROBE

The effectiveness of the Viratype Omniprobe in situ human papillomavir us tissue hybridization kit (Digene Diagnostics) was evaluated for the detection of HPV DNA in common orofacial lesions. Seventy mucocutaneo us lesions were hybridized with a biotinylated Omniprobe that was spec ific for HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52, and 56. Eighteen (25.7%) of the specimens analyzed had intranuclear po sitive signals for HPV. Probing with HPV 6/11, 16/18, and 31/33/35 to delimit the HPV genotype yielded HPV DNA 6/11 in 16 (88.9%) of the Omn iprobe-positive specimens. Only squamous papilloma and condyloma acumi natum were found to harbor HPV DNA. Sites most frequently infected wer e the labial and buccal mucosa (21.7%) and the floor of the mouth (17. 4%). These results suggest that hybridization with the Omniprobe provi des appropriate sensitivity and specificity for detecting HPV in some benign proliferations of the oral cavity. However, the detection of HP V in oral squamous cell carcinoma, lichen planus, and keratoacanthoma remains problematic until more sensitive and specific molecular techni ques are used.