RESUMEN
The present study on molecular characterization of a human papillomavirus (HPV) isolated in Central Brazil describes the L1 gene sequence from a new variant of HPV-58, the isolate Bsb-02. The sample was from a smear obtained from a woman with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II. The whole L1 gene from isolate Bsb-02 was sequenced automatically, showing 99.1 percent nucleotide identity with the gene from the HPV-58 reference. The clustering between Bsb-02 and HPV-58 reference sequence was also supported by phylogenetic analysis. Fourteen nucleotide substitutions were observed: eight were synonymous and six were associated with amino acid substitutions. A10V and V144I have not been previously described. At GenBank, the only complete L1 sequence from HPV-58 in addition to the HPV-58 reference one is that of Bsb-02. These data provide information that may be relevant to HPV diagnosis and to rational vaccine strategies. HPV variants may also be associated with host immune responses and with the risk of cervical neoplasia.