Molecular Diagnosis of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Infection

The presence of HPV has been implicated in more than 90% of cervical cancers worldwide.

There are >100 types of HPV. GenePro’s qPCR-RFLP detects a broad spectrum of HPV types (37 by WHO) and identifies the clinically significant low and high risk types, as well as some unknown risk types.

The 14 most common oncogenic HPV types responsible for 91-97% of invasive cervical and penile cancers worldwide are the high risk group (16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 73, 82). Among the high risk types, types 52 and 58 are common in Asia. The cancer risk for any one
or for any combination of the carcinogenic HPV types does not differ.

Recent ATHENA clinical trial results suggest that HPV DNA test is suitable as a first-line primary screening test for cervical cancer in women 25 and older, because 10 – 25% women who have HPV type 16 will have cervical diseases even if they have a normal cytology in the Pap smear test. Knowledge of HPV infection will benefit cytological screening.

GenePro Dnagnostic Technology provides the following services:

• Testing the presence of HPV DNA in a sample (e.g. liquid cytology)
• Package of testing the presence of HPV DNA in a sample (e.g. liquid cytology) and typing the HPV DNA in positive samples, to determine if it is a high risk type or a low risk type or both

Pap smear test can tell cellular abnormality, but it cannot tell if the abnormality is due to HPV infection. In addition, it cannot determine the risk type(s) of the HPV present.
Determining HPV type(s) will help clinicians to manage the disease; it may predict the outcome of the disease.
Vaccines are now available for protection against specific high risk types of HPV, so knowing the HPV type(s) is important for targeting the vaccine.

The Test for HPV DNA & Typing by GenePro is simple, fast and cheap, making it a desirable screening test that aims at increased awareness and prevention of an easily preventable cancer.