Double cervix with bilateral and synchronous HSIL associated with different high-risk HPV types. A case report

BACKGROUND: High grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) of the cervix is well known to be associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HSIL and invasive carcinomas occurring synchronously in genital malformations, such as a double cervix, have been reported. It has been postulated that the field effect phenomenon of HPV infection is responsible for this synchronous infection. However, there is no information in the literature on the specific types of HPV causing the concomitant lesions in cases with a double cervix. CASE: A 33-year-old nulligravida with a double cervix and a single uterine corpus was diagnosed with bilateral HSIL on Papanicolaou-stained ThinPrep slides (Cytyc Corp., Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.A.). A bilateral loop electrosurgical excision procedure cone biopsy revealed HSIL involving both cervices. DNA extracted from the HSIL lesions was analyzed by a polymerase chain reaction-based assay for the presence of HPV. High-risk HPV type 33 was identified in the right cervix, while HPV type 35 was present in the left. CONCLUSION: Demonstration of high-risk HPV types bilaterally supported the etiologic role of HPV infection in the synchronous and bilateral occurrence of HSIL in this case of a double cervix. The HPV types were different in the right and left cervices.