High-risk and multiple human papillomavirus infections associated with cervical abnormalities in Japanese women

Abstract

To estimate the risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection for cervical malignancies, we conducted a case-control study in Japan. Abnormal cervical cell (366) and normal cell samples (1562) were tested for the presence of HPV DNA using a new PCR-based test (LCR-E7 PCR). When single HPV infections were considered, 26 different HPV types were identified in normal cervices and in low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL); whereas HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -45, -51, -52, -56, -58 and -67 were detected in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix, and HPV-16 and -18 were detected in cervical adenocarcinoma. HPV-6 and -11 were detected in condyloma acuminatum tissue. In HSIL and SCC, HPV-16 was the most prevalent type and HPV-51, -52, and -58 were the next most prevalent; whereas HPV-39, -59, and -68 were not detected. Analysis by odds ratio (OR) revealed that HPV-11, -39, -42, -44, -53, -59, -62, and -66 (HPV-66: OR,139; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 6.7-168) were associated with LSIL; HPV-16, -18, -31, -51, -52 and -58 (HPV-16: OR, 69; 95%CI = 36-131) were associated with SCC; and HPV-16 and -18 (OR, 94; 95% CI = 28-317) were associated with adenocarcinoma. Multiple HPV infection was associated with LSIL (OR, 24; 95%CI = 13-44), HSIL (OR, 16; 95%CI = 8.4-32), and SCC (OR, 8.3; 95%CI = 3.2-22), although the prevalence decreased with the grade of the lesions. All results suggest that HPV-6 and -11 are condyloma types, HPV-16, -18, -31, -51, -52, -58, and perhaps -33, -35, -45, -56, and -67, are the high-risk HPV types, and many other types are LSIL-associated types in Japan. HPV typing and detection of multiple HPV infections in clinical samples may be useful as surrogate markers for cervical cell abnormalities.