Detection of human papillomavirus infection in tissue blocks by in situ hybridization as compared with a polymerase chain reaction procedure.

Tissue blocks from 25 cases of condyloma and/or dysplasia were used for human papillomavirus typing with DNA in situ hybridization, compared with the very sensitive polymerase chain reaction. Only one of these cases was negative with both methods: a case of vaginal "koilocytosis." Polymerase chain reaction, as expected, was the more sensitive method, positive in 24 cases, with seven double infections.