Characterization of a new type of human papillomavirus found in a lesion of Bowen's disease of the skin.

The genome of a human papillomavirus (HPV) found in a patient with Bowen's disease of the skin was molecularly cloned. Blot hybridization experiments, performed under stringent conditions, revealed no cross-hybridization between this HPV DNA and the other known HPV DNAs, showing that this HPV represents a new type, tentatively named HPV34. In relaxed hybridization conditions, the highest cross-hybridization was observed with HPV16 DNA. The physical map of HPV34 DNA was aligned with the genetic map of HPV16 DNA by heteroduplex mapping. HPV34 was not detected in 12 additional patients with Bowen's disease of the skin, but a closely related HPV DNA was found in one patient with penile Bowenoid papulosis.