Detection of HPV in cervical smears and vulval warts by an in situ hybridization technique

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study was done on the following groups of cases First group included Papanicolaou [Pap] stained smears with variable degrees of dysplasia [5 cases], second group included normal Pap stained cervical smears [5 cases] used as negative control, third group included paraffin sections from vulval warts [7 cases] used as positive control, fourth group includes fresh frozen cytopreparation of cervical which was performed on 5 cases, and the fifth group consisted of Frank cancer cervix [5 cases]. Using a biotin labeled probe without prior amplification of DNA, only type II probe was applied in this study. Prior to probe application deparafinization of both vulval warts and cancer cervix sections was undertaken as well as decolorization of Pap stained smears after localizing the dysplastic cervical cells to be the target sites for probe application. The results showed positivity in all 7 vulval wart cases, in 3/5 of dysplastic cervical smear particularly in cells with koilocytosis, anisonucleosis and hyperchromatosis and in one out of the five fresh cytopreparation of cervical wash. All normal pap smear were negative, also all cervical cancer cases were negative. No background staining was seen with good visualization of HPV genome. The routine application of this method on Pap stained cervical smears positive for dysplasia was recommended in order to disclose the presence of HPV as an underlying causative factor