Detection of human papillomavirus using in situ hybridization technique in vulvo-vaginal warts

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the commonest sexually transmitted viral infection and one of its manifestations is genital warts or condyloma acuminata. Eight cases of vulvo-vaginal warts were diagnosed between January 1992 and December 1993. There were 4 Malays, 2 Chinese and 2 Indians. The patients' age ranged from 22 to 43 years (mean 27.9 years). Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were studied by histology and in situ hybridization using biotinylated probes to detect the HPV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. All vulvar and vaginal lesions showed typical histopathological features of condylomatous changes. HPV 6 and HPV 11 were detected in 100% (8/8) and 87.5% (7/8) of all cases, respectively. HPVs 16, 18, 31 and 33 were not found. The positive cells were mainly in the upper layers of the squamous epithelium. The hybridization data indicated that the HPV found in this study one of the same types as found in other studies.