The Open Virology Journal

2009, 3 : 60-66
Published online 2009 September 4. DOI: 10.2174/1874357900903010060
Publisher ID: TOVJ-3-60

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Type Distribution in Females with Abnormal Cervical Cytology. A Correlation with Histological Study

Fernando Cobo, *,1 , Ángel Concha1 and Marta Ortiz2
1 Infectious Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain
2 Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Madrid, Spain

* Address correspondence to this author at the Infectious Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; Tel: 958 02 06 91; Fax: 958 02 01 32; E-mail: fernando.cobo.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine human papillomavirus (HPV) types distribution in cervical preneoplasic lesions in a Southern Spanish population and their relationship between HPV type and grade of histopathological abnormality. Finally, 232 cervical samples from 135 women with previous cytological abnormalities were included in this study. Colposcopy studies and biopsies were performed. Haematoxylin-eosin stained slides were observed and detection of HPV DNA in cervical swabs was carried out with use of a polymerase chain reaction and microarrays technology. The relationship between the presence of HPV infection and diagnostic variables was evaluated. HPV 16 was the most common type followed by HPV 58, 51, 33 and 31. However, the two HPV types targeted in the prophylactic vaccines such as HPV type 16 and 18 were detected in only 37 (21.2%) and 2 (1.1%) cases respectively. Thirty-three (18.9%) of samples were infected with multiple types, the majority of them with two types. In addition, during the follow-up of patients many changes in type distribution were observed. Several studies will be necessary in order to evaluate the HPV type distribution for therapeutically and prophylactic purposes such as vaccine treatment. Also, because of the differences obtained depending of use of various DNA technologies, the performance of some comparative studies of the different methods from detection of HPV would be advisable in a high population of patients and with the most homogeneous conditions possible.