Abstract
Due to the limited number of reports concerning their association with particular dysplastic and neoplastic lesions, the oncogenic potential of so-called rare or novel human papillomavirus (HPV) types is still unclear. Cytologic smears or biopsy specimens from 538 patients were analyzed for dysplastic or neoplastic lesions and HPV infection. The HPV detection and typing system utilized allowed identification of all mucosal HPVs amplifiable by L1 polymerase chain reaction. Considering only patients infected with a single HPV type (n = 329), rare or novel HPVs (HPV-59, HPV-61, HPV-62, HPV-66, HPV-70, HPV-73, MM4, MM7, MM8, CP6108, and CP8304) were detected in 28% of normal specimens (n = 46), none of condylomatous lesions (n = 44), 12% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) (n = 42), 8% of high-grade SILs (n = 142), and 4% of cervical cancers (n = 54). Prevalence and oncogenic potential of distinct rare HPV types seems to be higher than previously assumed.