A comparison of human papillomavirus detection rates by dot blot assay from smear and biopsy specimens with regard to human papillomavirus type and histologic diagnosis.

Colposcopic biopsy and cervical smear sampling techniques for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA dot hybridization were compared to reveal differences related to the level of the histopathologic detection of HPV type 16. The authors used a previously published dot blot assay to analyze 814 pairs of concurrent biopsy and smear DNA specimens for the presence of DNA of HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18. The overall HPV detection rate was 38%, the most prevalent type being HPV 16 (39% of all HPV-positive cases). In detection and typing of HPV DNA, a 81% concordance (658 of 814 pairs) was noted between the smear and biopsy specimens, with a significant correlation in detection of any of the HPV types in the specimens (kappa, .609). The rate of smear-negative cases among all biopsy-positive cases was similar for HPV 11 and HPV 16 (41% and 42%, respectively). Further analysis of distribution of the smear-negative and biopsy-positive cases among different histopathologic levels of disease showed no significant difference between neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions for either virus type. In 56 cases, only the smear specimen was positive for DNA of the studied HPV types. Both biopsy and smear specimens should be used for HPV detection in cervical dysplasias.