Correlation of histology with human papillomavirus DNA detection in the female genital tract

Abstract

Genital condyloma and intraepithelial neoplasia secondary to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection are characterized by perinuclear halos and marked nuclear atypia (koilocytotic atypia) on cytologic and histologic examination. However, at times the histologic findings, including the degree of nuclear atypia, may be suggestive but not absolutely diagnostic of an HPV related neoplasm. HPV DNA sequences were detected in 63 and 56% of colposcopically visible vaginal and cervical lesions, respectively, that were diagnosed as condyloma or intraepithelial neoplasia. HPV DNA sequences were detected in 14 and 47% of vaginal and cervical lesions, respectively, that did not fulfill the histologic criteria of condyloma or intraepithelial neoplasia (i.e., “nondiagnostic”). When examining cervices from patients with no visible lesion and no recent history of an abnormal pap smear, 5.5% had detectable HPV DNA sequences. The histologic findings in this group were equivalent to the virus-negative cases and similar to the “nondiagnostic” cervical lesions. These findings suggest that the detection rate of HPV DNA in “nondiagnostic” tissues is dependent on the site and presence or absence of a visible lesion. The rate is similar in cervical lesions regardless of the histologic findings whereas it is less in vaginal lesions when the histologic criteria of condyloma or intraepithelial neoplasia are not detected.