PCR-RFLP-detected human papilloma virus infection in a group of senegalesewomen attending an STD clinic and identification of a new HPV-68 subtype

Cancer of the cervix is the most common malignant tumor among women in Afri ca and, in particular, Senegal. Studies of the prevalence of human papillom a virus (HPV) infection in Africa have mainly focused on carcinomas. Data o n the presence of the virus in women with normal cervical cytology are scar ce, In this study, 158 cytologically normal women who had been referred to the 'Institut Pasteur de Dakar' (Senegal) for various genital complaints we re investigated for the presence of HPV on exfoliated cells by PCR-RFLP. HP V was detected in 13.9% of cases. Oncogenic type HPV 16 was the most common type (40.9%), followed by HPV 53 and HPV 58, both detected in 13.6% of cas es. Mixed HPV infections were present in 13.6% of the subjects. Only HPVs b elonging to the intermediate-high risk group were detected. These data sugg est the need for careful cytological control of patients, A PCR-HPV fragmen t (GA115) possessing an original RFLP pattern was isolated. After sequencin g, it showed a nucleotide homology of 97.1% with HPV 68 and should therefor e be considered a new HPV 68 subtype. The use of PCR-RFLP strategy enables detection and typing of all known and as yet unknown genital HPVs, Variant and subtype classification of HPV types identified by oligonucleotide probe methods may need to be refined, especially for less prevalent HPVs and in areas where little information on HPV prevalence is available. More studies are needed to characterize satisfactorily the epidemiology of HPV in Afric a.