Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes in Routine Pap Smear of 2,562 Korean Women Determined by PCR-DNA Sequencing

The infections by human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are clearly associated with the subsequent development of cervical cancer. In this study, HPV genotype distribution and prevalence were detected in Korean women from January to December 2008 using PCR-DNA sequencing. A total of 2,562 cervical samples from Korean women having routine Pap smear cytology screening were used. HPV DNA was extracted from cervical swab samples and amplified by PCR in L1 region of HPV. HPV DNA was detected in 23.2% and 65.5% from the groups of normal and abnormal Pap cytology, respectively. The prevalence of high-risk types of HPV had the highest frequency in the <30 year-olds' group (50.6%). The prevalence of HPV in normal, ASCUS, LSIL and HSIL groups was 23.2%, 58.1%, 96.3% and 97.0%, respectively. Moreover, the frequencies of the high-risk types of HPV were 16.2% in the normal Pap cytology, 44.7% in the ASCUS, 76.1% in the LSIL and 94.1% in the HSIL groups. The prevalence of the high-risk types of HPV increased in proportion to the severity of the cytological classification. In the HSIL group, HPV type 16 was the most frequently found at 32.4%, followed by types 58, 53 and 33 at 17.6%, 14.7% and 11.8%, respectively. HPV type 82 was found in 5.6% of the HSIL group and was not detected in the normal Pap cytology group. The frequency of high-risk type of HPV 82 is firstly reported in Korean women. This finding could be an informative basis for the development of future HPV vaccination strategies in Korean women.

Genetic Analysis of Hepatitis A Virus Isolated from Korea

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is one of the most important causes of acute infectious hepatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the genotypes of HAV that have been circulating in Koreans. A total of 76 sera referred to our institute for HAV genotyping from 11 Korean provinces were used for this study. Those samples were diagnosed by positive of IgM anti-HAV. HAV RNA was extracted from 150 microliter of serum, and reverse transcription PCR-sequencing was used to detect and characterize HAV RNA. Primer pairs from the VP1/2A region of the HAV were used for amplification and sequencing. HAV RNA was found in 64.5% (n = 49) of the 76 patient sera with acute hepatitis A. Forty-seven strains were genotype IIIA in a total of 49 isolated strains (95.9%, 47/49); only two strains belonged to genotype IA (4.1%, 2/49). Thirty eight genotype IIIA isolates were 100% identical to consensus amino acid sequences of the reference strain AJ299467. The amino acid change of L772F was found in two IIIA strains; other IIIA isolates showed one amino acid change. Amino acid of genotype IA was compared to reference strain L20541. K801R was found in 1 strain and Q810S in both strains. The amino acid change of K801R was the first report in Koreans. Until recently HAV genotype IA has been reported as a major circulating HAV genotype in Koreans. In the present study, the predominant HAV strain in Koreans seemed to be HAV genotype IIIA.