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Detection of human papillomavirus types by the polymerase chain reaction and the differentiation between high-risk and low-risk cervical lesions

  • Original Articles
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Virchows Archiv B

Summary

By means of a consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the prevalence of HPV types was determined in cervical biopsies from 137 women referred to the gynecological outpatient clinic for colposcopy because of an abnormal cervical smear. The prevalence of HPV was 80.3%. There was a statistically highly significant rise in the prevalence of the oncogenic HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33) with increasing severity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN I to III), indicating a role for these HPV types in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. The prevalence of other HPV types decreased significantly with the severity of the lesion, suggesting that these HPV types play a less significant role in this process. These data indicate that HPV typing with PCR may be a valuable tool for distinguishing between highrisk and low-risk cervical lesions. Furthermore, our results suggest that the detection of HPV types by consensus PCR in the cervix of patients with an abnormal smear but without histologically detectable CIN is a useful tool for predicting which of these patiens will eventually develop CIN. Finally, a relatively low percentage (3%) of HPV double infections is reported in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marion T. E. Cornelissen, Maarten F. Jebbink, Henk L. Smits & Jan ter Schegget

  2. Department of Pathology, Stichting Laboratoria Goudse Ziekenhuizen, Gouda

    Tom Bots

  3. Department of Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Maarten A. Briët & Arie P. H. B. Struyk

  4. Department of Pathology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Jan G. van den Tweel

  5. Department of Infectious Diseases, Cetus Corporation, Emeryville, California, USA

    Catherine E. Greer

Authors
  1. Marion T. E. Cornelissen
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  2. Tom Bots
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  3. Maarten A. Briët
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  4. Maarten F. Jebbink
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  5. Arie P. H. B. Struyk
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  6. Jan G. van den Tweel
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  7. Catherine E. Greer
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  8. Henk L. Smits
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  9. Jan ter Schegget
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Cornelissen, M.T.E., Bots, T., Briët, M.A. et al. Detection of human papillomavirus types by the polymerase chain reaction and the differentiation between high-risk and low-risk cervical lesions. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 62, 167–171 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899679

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899679

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