A Simple and Robust Method for Semi-Quantitative Detection of Human Papillomavirus Nucleic Acids (HPV) Helps Oncological Clinicians to Assess the Severeness of HPV Cellular Changing

A simple and robust method for the detection of nucleic acids of human papilloma virus (HPV) has been developed. The assay exploits the excellent sensitivity and specificity of "nested" polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) that is designed in the original single tube configuration to effectively prevent the carry-over contamination. This approach theoretically covers the amplification of all cancer developing genotypes currently known. The nPCR, paired with very simple nucleic acids isolation steps, is a real alternative to the standard method. This manuscript shows its capacity for routine use under clinical conditions. It is shown that the strategy is at least as sensitive as the standard two tube nPCR and the data are acceptably reproducible.