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The overall prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical infection in 131 women attending a family planning clinic was 7% (HPV 6/11, 16, 18, 31) by dot blot hybridisation, 53% (HPV 11, 16, 31) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and 56% by the two methods combined. HPV 16 and 18 were the commonest types (4% each) by dot blot, HPV 16 (39%) by PCR. Fifteen percent of subjects had mildly abnormal cervical cytology (grades 1A, 2A, or 3). There was no significant correlation between cytological abnormality and HPV positivity, or between cytological or HPV status and other postulated risk factors for cervical neoplasia. It is concluded that PCR is considerably more sensitive than dot blot DNA hybridisation in detecting HPV cervical infection in such a "low risk" setting, where HPV copy number may be low. Firm conclusions cannot be drawn from our results regarding a causal role for HPV or other factors in the development of cervical neoplasia.In 1989, health practitioners scraped the cervixes of 131 women who came to the St. Giles Clinic for family planning services in Northampton, England to compare the sensitivity of dot blot DNA hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). They also wanted to determine the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in a sexually active but not a high risk population. PCR detected HPV infection in 53% of the women while dot blot hybridization only detected it in 7%. Therefore PCR was more sensitive than dot blot hybridization. Together the 2 techniques indicated a 56% prevalence. Mildly abnormal cytology existed in 15% of the women. HPV positivity did not necessarily correlate with abnormal cytology. This lack of association did not necessarily indicate that HPV does not play a role in development of cervical neoplasia, however. This study found a significant relationship between cytological abnormality and being parous and between cytological abnormality and a history of genital warts (p.01). Further women with abnormal cytology tended to be younger (median, 21 years) than women with normal cytology or the group as a whole (24 years). In addition, the median number of sexual partners was higher in HPV positive women (3-4 partners) than HPV negative women or the entire group (=or- 2 partners). Nevertheless the correlation between abnormal cytology and age and sex partners was not significant. The researchers proposed that these cofactors may be more important in development of cervical neoplasia than HPV. Since HPV appeared frequently in women of median age of 24 years and a median of 2 lifetime sexual partners indicated that they may have been infected early with HPV by nonsexual routes. Researchers should investigate this possibility further by conducting age related serological studies in children.