Comparative virologic studies of condylomata acuminata reveal a lack of dual infections with human papillomaviruses.

Condylomata acuminata are epithelial proliferations caused by infection of the anogenital squamous epithelium with human papillomavirus (HPV). DNA-DNA hybridization techniques and the extremely sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to analyze biopsies from patients with clinically diagnosed condyloma acuminatum for the presence of HPV DNA. PCR analyses using primers and oligonucleotide probes specific for the E6/E7 region of HPV-6, -11, or -16 showed that 31 (93.9%) of 33 tissue biopsies contained HPV DNA: 22 contained type 6 DNA, 6 contained type 11 DNA, and 3 contained type 16 DNA. Eleven biopsies positive by PCR were Southern hybridization-negative or were considered inadequate for Southern analysis. In all 11, the presence of HPV DNA was corroborated by the observation of histopathologic evidence suggestive of HPV infection or by in situ hybridization. No evidence of multiple infections with HPV-6 or -11 and HPV-16 was seen.