[New possibility of genetic characterization of human papillomavirus in pathology of male and female genitalia].

Several epidemiologic studies point to the role of different sublines of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in the development of neoplasias of the genito-rectal tract. The spread of the virus in the population makes it necessary to constantly investigate this pathogen in order to adopt a correct therapeutic approach and follow the evolution of associated disease. This paper gives an epidemiologic outline of HPV infection in the adult population--males and females--based on a correlated study of the relationship between the lesion and the presence of the virus and its sublines. The methods used both traditional examinations (colposcopy, cytology, histology) and innovative chemiluminescence molecular biology techniques. Chemiluminescence molecular hybridization includes the use of RNA probes which, on the basis the identification of different viral strains, allow a subdivision of infections into low and high/medium risk. The test resulted positive in 60.7% of the cases in which there was clinical and cyto-histopathological evidence of HPV infection. Notwithstanding the high percentage of negative results in the cases of condylomatous disease, the method used has proved to be easily applicable and more sensitive than other molecular biology techniques (comparison by in situ hybridization and Southern blot analysis). Moreover, from the clinical point of view, it seems to provide useful data for a correct diagnosis and monitoring of patients.