Significance of molecular diagnostics in human papilloma virus (HPV) determination

Abstract

HPV infection is considered to be the most important etiologic factor in cervical cancer development. In this retrospective study, which included the period from 2000 to 2012, the results of two molecular techniques used in the detection of HPV infection among women of the South Backa District were analyzed. By using the technique of in situ hybridization and the rPCR method, the proportion of high-risk HPV among women with normal cytology was determined to be 19.8% and 32.7%, respectively, and among women with abnormal cytology 43.1% and 61%, respectively. Among the analyzed women, HPV type 16 was the most prevalent, followed by HPV types 31, 51 and 18. Application of molecular HPV diagnosis is valuable because it increases the sensitivity of the screening test, so that the application of both tests to detect cervical cancer is a true prevention of malignancy.