Localization of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 DNA Using the Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Cervix Uteri of Women with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Abstract

The localization of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA throughout the cervix uteri of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) was studied by utilizing the polymerase chain reaction technique directly on histologically defined sections of paraffin-embedded cervical tissue obtained by conizations. HPV-16 DNA was detected only in the sections that contained CIN lesions and/or koilocytes. No HPV-16 DNA was detected in sections that contained only normal epithelium. This is in accordance with HPV-16 playing a role in the development of CIN lesions.