[Cervico-vaginal infection by HPV: cyto-histological morphology in the different viral strains]

One-hundred ten cervical or vaginal bioptic samples have been submitted to in-situ HPV typing with biotinylated probes. All samples had been taken from women with colposcopic findings suggesting HPV infection, and at histopathology showed koilocytosis sometimes associated with CIN or VAIN. Sixty-four samples were positive (16 for HPV 6/11 - 37 for HPV 16/18, 11 for HPV 31/35/51). Histopathological and cytological specimens were reviewed to detect the possible existence of morphological patterns typical of the various viral types. Papillomatosis, slightly increased nuclear size with finely granular chromatin, low number of mitoses, and scarce cyto-polymorphism, were associated with HPV 6/11, as well as the absence of intraepithelial neoplasia. A higher number of mitoses (and/or atypical ones), cyto-polymorphism, association with intraepithelial neoplasia, nuclear vacuolization, nuclei of increased size, with irregular borders, hyperchromic, with dark and lumpy chromatin were indicative of high or medium risk HPV (16/18 or 31/35/51). In cytological smears also the finding of dyskeratocytes was associated with these viral types, while multiple nuclei were present in the case of HPV 31/35/51 detection.