Cervical papillomavirus infection in diethylstilbestrol-exposed progeny.

Histologic sections from cervical and vaginal biopsies showing dysplasia in 37 women exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero were stained for human papillomavirus structural antigens using an immunoperoxidase technique. Forty-three percent of the lesions had detectable papillomavirus antigens. These findings indicate that a significant proportion of cervical dysplasia observed in DES-exposed progeny is associated with papillomavirus infection.