Detection of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in Cervical Swabs by the Polymerase Chain Reaction

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Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 DNA in cervical swabs from 37 patients with HPV 16-harboring cervical lesions (15 carcinomas and 22 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias). Primers amplifying a sequence of the human β-globin genome were used for internal control together with the HPV 16-specific primers. The cell samples were prepared for PCR analysis by two different methods: either by phenol/chloroform extraction or by boiling in the presence of a chelating agent. HPV 16 DNA was found in 27 swabs. The detection rates were identical with both methods of preparation. Four of the 10 false-negative swabs contained too little DNA to permit amplification with the genomic primers. Excluding these insufficient samples, the detection rate was 82%. Reasons for false-negative results may include low cell numbers or failure to obtain cells representative of the underlying lesion. In conclusion, the PCR offers a satisfactory method of HPV detection in cervical swabs. Cell preparation can be restricted to simple boiling with a chelating agent. For optimal results, samples containing less than 2 × 104 cells should be discarded, and genomic primers should be used for internal control.

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