HUMAN GENITAL TISSUES CONTAINING DNA OF ADENOASSOCIATED VIRUS LACK DNA-SEQUENCES OF THE HELPER VIRUSES ADENOVIRUS, HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS OR CYTOMEGALOVIRUS BUT FREQUENTLY CONTAIN HUMAN-PAPILLOMAVIRUS DNA

The detection of DNA of the hel per virus-dependent adeno-associated v irus type 2 (AAV-2) in biopsies of material from spontaneous abortion and in tissue samples from the uterus raises the question of whether s equences of known helper viruses can be detected simultaneously within the same specimen despite the lack of histological evidence for the p resence of lyric viruses, Therefore, we performed PCR analyses with pr imers detecting DNA sequences of viruses (adenovirus, herpes simplex v irus and human cytomegalovirus) known for their helper activity in the replication of adeno-associated viruses, In addition, PCR was perform ed to detect DNA of human papillomaviruses (HPV), which were recently shown to be able to help AAV replication in vitro. In no cases were se quences of the known helper viruses found. However, HPV DNA was detect ed in approximate to 60% of paraffin sections from uterus biopsies and cervical lesions containing AAV DNA and in approximate to 70% of mate rial from early miscarriage. This finding suggests that HPV may be a h elper virus for AAV.