Demonstration of human papillomavirus types in paraffin processed tissue from human ano-genital lesions by in-situ DNA hybridisation.

A sensitive in situ hybridization technique for the demonstration of human papillomavirus (HPV) employing a biotin-streptavidin polyalkaline phosphatase complex has been successfully applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin processed tissue obtained from a selected series of patients with ano-genital lesions. Benign condylomata from males and females showed the presence of HPV 6 and 11. Two cases of vulval intraepithelial neoplasia showed HPV 16. Four cases of squamous carcinoma of the anal canal also showed HPV 16 in the tumour or in the adjacent pre-invasive neoplastic epithelium. A case of malignant transformation in a cervical condyloma was associated with HPV 6 and 11. This technique permits the retrospective evaluation of routinely processed material thus widening the investigative spectrum for HPV.