Molecular heterogeneity of female genital wart (condylomata acuminata) papilloma viruses

Florid condylomas from various anogenital sites were examined for the presence of papilloma viruses ( HPVs ) using DNA hybridization techniques. All the condylomas contained HPV DNA, but genetic variability was detected in the form of HPV types, subtypes, and possible recombinants. Morphologically similar lesions contained heterogeneous viral populations. Variation was also detected among the HPV genomes in a single patient, indicating the complex etiology of this disease.