Detection and genotyping of human papillomavirus in cervical tissue samples in Ahvaz, southwest Iran

Abstract

Background: 500,000 new cases with progressive cancer of cervix are reported worldwide annually. This malignant cancer is the second common cancer among females. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered as the major cause of cervical cancer and dysplasia. PCR Application to detect the HPV DNA in clinical specimens besides microscopic examination of cervical biopsy (Papanicolaou smear) (Pap smear) are valuable prognostic indicators in cervical cancer management. Objectives: Due to the absence of epidemiological data on prevalence and distribution of HPV genotypes in Khuzestan province, the authors decided to conduct a research to determine the HPV genotypes in cases with a degree of cervical dysplasia. Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 samples of paraffin-embedded biopsy samples archived in the library of pathology laboratory of Ahvaz Imam Khomeini hospital were selected for further experiments. After DNA extraction of each specimen, the infection of the tissue with HPV was confirmed by PCR. PCR products were sequenced to detect HPV genotypes. Results: Out of 60 cervical biopsy samples, 8 (%13.3) cases were HPV DNA positive. Four (%50) were genotype 16 positive, 2 (%25) were genotype 6 positive, 1(%12.5) sample was detected as the genotype 18 and 1 of the positive cases was genotype 11 of HPV. Conclusions: Our study shows that prevalence of HPV infection in cervical biopsy samples collected from suspected patients in Khouzestan province is slightly higher than other provinces of Iran. Since HPV cervical infection, is an indicator for the host cervical cancer progression, parallel with Pap smear test, PCR detection of HPV DNA in biopsy of suspected cases is recommended. © 2013, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences; Licensee Kowsar Ltd.