Comparison of human papillomavirus genotypes in archival cervical cancer specimens from Alaska natives, Greenland natives and Danish Caucasians

Archival, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cervical cancer specimens from 53 Alaska natives, 32 Greenland natives and 34 Danish Caucasians were analy zed for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35 and 45 and unidentified genotypes (HPV X) using PCR. The specimens were from the time period 1980-1989. No significant differences were observed in the overall H PV detection rates among cases from Alaska (98.1%), Greenland (84.4%) and D enmark (85.3%). HPV genotype 16 was the most prevalent type: 78.8% in Alask a natives, 96.3% in Greenland natives and 82.8% in Danish Caucasians. A pre valence of 21.2% HPV 31 and 30.8% HPV 33 was found in Alaska natives, of wh ich most were coinfections with HPV 16. Only 3.7% HPV 31 and 3.7% HPV 33 we re found in Greenland natives and no HPV 31 and 6.3% HPV 33 were found in D anish Caucasians. HPV 18 was only detected in Alaska natives and HPV 35 and 45 were not detected in any of the three populations. Infections with mult iple genotypes were prevalent in Alaskan (36.5%) but not in Greenland nativ es (3.7%) and Danish Caucasians (6.9%). The Eskimo subgroup of the Alaska n ative population has a significantly higher prevalence of HPV genotypes 31 and 33 associated with mixed infections in invasive cancer than the two oth er native subgroups (P = 0.04) and Greenland and Danish populations, reflec ting genotype distributions in dysplasia and normal cervical cytology. The reason for HPV genotype diversity, although unknown, may be relevant to the current development of HPV vaccines. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et me dicales Elsevier SAS.