Evaluation of a colorimetric PCR system for the detection and typing of human papillomaviruses (HPV)

CHOUHY D.; M BERCOFF; L. BENITEZ GIL; A.L. NOCITO; D WOJDYLA; L ORNELLA; D. GARDIOL; A.A. GIRI

Rosario

Congreso; XLII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2006

sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SAIB)

In developing countries, the introduction of human papillomaviruses (HPV) DNA testing as an adjunct to cytological screening programs has been delayed due to the lack of high performance and cost effective diagnostic nucleic acid methods. In this study we report the development and evaluation of the L1HPVPCR, a PCR based method for the detection and typing of five of the most prevalent high risk HPV types. The technique is a user-friendly system that allows inexpensive and accurate HPV DNA detection and typing. Different cutoff points for HPV detection were determined using reproducibility analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves to ensure good analytical sensitivity and clinical effectiveness. We used the L1HPVPCR assay to estimate the prevalence of HPV infection in 127 women at risk of cervical cancer from the city of Rosario (Argentina), where no epidemiological data has been previously reported. Further, we explored the clinical utility of the L1HPVPCR assay respect the Pap smear using a combined diagnosis of cytology, histology and colposcopy as gold standard. Our results indicate the assay described here provides a tool for accurate HPV DNA testing and could be applied in regions where no commercial tests are available. Besides, this assay will allow the identification of HPV16-positive women to analyze the viral physical status as a marker for malignant progression.