HPV DNA typing of adult-onset respiratory papillomatosis.

Respiratory papillomatosis is a recalcitrant, human papillomavirus-induced disorder of the upper airways. Using in situ hybridization and biotinylated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probes, the type of human papillomavirus (HPV) in nine adults was determined both at presentation and during subsequent recurrences. Fifty-three biopsies obtained from seven men and two women over a 10-year period were examined for HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. All patients had either type 6 or 11. One dual infection was found. Despite intensive therapy with lasers with or without alpha interferon, no elimination or change in viral type occurred. Despite identical histologies, the amount of HPV DNA present in a given patient's papillomata varied markedly. The results suggest that adult-onset respiratory papillomatosis is due to HPV 6 and/or HPV 11, and that its recurrent nature, despite therapy, is due to persistence of a viral reservoir.