Detection of HPV-DNA in semen, urine and urethral samples by dot blot and PCR

Papillomavirus infection in women is associated with the development of carcinoma or squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL). Limited information is available for men. Seventy asymptomatic male partners of HPV-DNA positive women were studied. Exfoliated cells collected using urethral swabs urine and semen were examined for HPV-DNA using Dot blot and PCR. On exfoliated cells collected using a urethral swab, 89% of the samples were inadequate on Dot blot, and 87% on PCR respectively. Using urine, 36% turned out to be inadequate on Dot blot, 21% on PCR. Using semen all of the 70 samples were satisfactory for both systems. Semen is thus the best material for analysis. The occurrence of HPV-DNA in urine in urine is less frequent than that in semen. Urethral swabs seem to represent the least reliable material. Carriage of human papillomaviruses is frequent in apparently healthy parternrs of HPV infected women.