Identification of recombinant human papillomavirus type 16 variants.

Intratypic diversity of human papillomavirus (HPV) genome is generally characterized by point mutation, insertion, and/or deletion. Using PCR-based cloning and sequencing, we detected concurrent infection with 8 HPV16 variants in a woman enrolled in the ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study. The European variant was the major variant; each of the 7 minor variants had partial DNA sequences identical to the European variant and another part identical to the African 2 variant. At a follow-up visit, only an HPV16 African 2 variant was detected. Results from the present study suggest presence of intratypic recombination of HPV genome in natural infection.