HIGH-INCIDENCE OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN 146 CERVICAL CARCINOMAS - ASTUDY USING 3 DIFFERENT PAIRS OF CONSENSUS PRIMERS, AND DETECTING VIRAL GENOMES WITH PUTATIVE DELETIONS

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets and probe-cocktails were u sed for human papillomavirus (HPV) detection and typing of 146 fresh f rozen biopsies of cervical carcinoma. We obtained a high detection rat e (96%) by using three sets of consensus primer pairs directed at the L1 and E1 regions of HPV and by probing with a cocktail of random-labe lled consensus and type-specific PCR products derived from HPV plasmid s. In addition, we performed type-specific PCR amplification with E6-E 7 primers. The procedure was designed to detect all HPV-positive cases in a rapid, sensitive and specific way. In addition, by using differe nt regions for amplification, we detected cases with putative genomic deletions in HPV. All the negative PCR and DNA isolation controls were negative. The six negative samples were negative with all probe-cockt ails and type-specific primers and three of these negative samples wer e clear cell carcinomas. The detection rate was similar in squamous ca rcinomas and in adenocarcinomas and type 16 was most common (65%) in b oth types of carcinoma. There were no double infections of human papil lomavirus 16 and 18.