Detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in Japanese women with and without abnormal cervical cytology by dot blot and Southern blot hybridization.

The frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) was investigated in 245 Japanese women (100 showing normal cytology and 145 showing abnormal cytology). A previously presented method for the detection and typing of HPV DNA was used, where a dot blot test excluded samples that did not hybridize with HPV DNA. Positive samples were further analyzed by a southern blot procedure, to give the HPV type. A mixture of subgenomic probes of the types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35 was used. HPV DNA was detected in only 2% (2/100) of patients without abnormal cytology. In patients with abnormal cytology, the frequency was 30% (43/145). HPV was detected in 100% (2/2) of the patients with condyloma acuminatum, 39% (26/66) of those with mild to moderate dysplasia, 44% (7/16) of those with severe dysplasia to carcinoma in situ, and 70% (7/10) of those with invasive carcinoma. Young women (20-29 yr.) had the highest HPV frequency (71%). HPV types 16 and 18 were found in 39% of the patients with mild to moderate dysplasia, in 71% of those with severe dysplasia to carcinoma in situ and in 86% of those with invasive carcinoma. These may be considered as high risk types for development to cancer. HPV type 31 may be considered as a moderate risk, as it was detected in 37% (16/43) of the patients. HPV types 6 and 11 were found in 100% of patients with condyloma acuminatum (2/2). To clarify the natural history of the HPV infection in the uterine cervix, it is necessary to conduct further studies.