Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer in Honduran women

In this study, the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer in women from Honduras was investigated. Fifteen biopsy samples, obtained from women with cervical cancer or carcinoma in situ, were embedded in paraffin and investigated for the presence of HPV. One 5-microns section was directly processed in lysis buffer and treated with proteinase K. The samples were first screened with an HPV general primer polymerase chain reaction PCR (GP-PCR) assay directed against the highly conserved L1 open reading frame of HPV. The HPV-positive biopsy specimens were rescreened with an HPV 6/11, 16, 18, 31, and 33 type-specific PCR assay. All four carcinoma in situ samples and 10 of 11 carcinomas were found to be positive for HPV. Of the carcinoma in situ samples, two contained HPV 16 DNA, one sample contained HPV 18 DNA, and one sample both HPV 16 and HPV 18 DNA. Of the carcinomas, three specimens contained HPV 16 DNA, two samples contained HPV 18 DNA, two carcinomas were positive for both HPV 16 and 18 DNA, one sample contained HPV 6/11 DNA, and two specimens were HPV positive in the GP-PCR assay but HPV negative in the type-specific PCR assays. This indicated the presence of an HPV type different from HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, or 33. In one carcinoma, no HPV DNA was detected. These data suggest a close association between infection with HPV 16 and HPV 18 and cervical cancer in Honduras.