Analysis of lower genital tract lesions clinically suspicious for condylomata using in situ hybridization and the polymerase chain reaction for the detection of human papillomavirus.

The presence of human papillomavirus was analyzed in 123 biopsy specimens of lower genital tract lesions, clinically considered to be condyloma, using both in situ hybridization and the polymerase chain reaction. Using standard histologic criteria only 22% of the lesions could be diagnosed as condyloma, 17% had features suggestive but not diagnostic of condyloma and 61% lacked the histologic features of condyloma. Human papillomavirus was detected by in situ hybridization in 89% of the lesions with the histologic features of condyloma but in only 3% of the biopsy specimens lacking the histologic features of condyloma. Fifty percent of lesions that had histologic features suggestive, but not diagnostic for, condyloma contained human papillomavirus by in situ hybridization. Using polymerase chain reaction similar results were found. This study underscores the usefulness of human papillomavirus detection methods for analyzing histologically equivocal lesions of the lower genital tract.