Search for the human papillomavirus in nasal polyps, using a polymerase chain reaction-method.

Viral etiology of nasal polyps was postulated as many as 40 years ago, but so far, no study has shown an association or causal relation between any specific virus and nasal polyps. By using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, nasal polyps from both 10 patients with intolerance to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID intolerance) (e.g., Aspirin) and from 10 patients with no history of NSAID intolerance were studied for the presence of papillomavirus DNA. Nasal mucosa from 10 patients who had undergone surgery for septoplasty served as controls. The PCR test used covers approximately 30 different types of human papillomaviruses. In this test, all tissue samples studied were found negative for papillomavirus DNA.