DISTINCT MANIFESTATIONS OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES IN THE VAGINA

To clarify the pathogenic relationships between human papillomavirus ( HPV) and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN), we examined 71 vagi nal biopsy specimens by histopathology and immunohistochemistry and an alyzed the presence of HPV DNA by blot hybridization at Tm - 40 degree s C using an HPV 58 probe (PBM-58 method). We found 27 cases of VAIN i n patients with previous hysterectomy or antecedent or concomitant cer vical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 44 cases of VAIN in patients without any abnormal findings on the cervix and the vulva. Histopatho logically, 53 of 71 cases were graded as VAIN I and 15 and 3 cases wer e VAIN II and III, respectively, while 59 cases showed positivity for HPV capsid antigen by immunohistochemistry. Using the PBM-58 method, a ll 71 VAIN cases harbored a single HPV type at more than 1,000 viral c opies per cell. We identified 15 different types (HPV 16, 18, 30, 31, 35, 40, 42, 43, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58 and 66). Furthermore, we molecu larly cloned 7 novel prototypes (HPV 59, 61, 62, 64, 67, 69 and 71) fr om VAIN I. Our results are strongly indicative that HPVs are etiologic agents of VAIN, like in the case of CIN. The distinct manifestations of HPV infection in the vagina are discussed in comparison with those in the cervix. (C) 1997 Wiley-liss. Inc.