There is currently a great concern with regard to improvements in the cytological diagnosis of HPV through the introduction of non-classical criteria in its diagnosis. This is important owing to the high frequency of viral infection and its cancerigenous potential. The aim of the research was a reinterpretation of 65 positive HPV cases by hybrid capture. Classical criteria had been used in the first instance and eventually non-classical ones have been applied. The cytological criteria most frequently reported were non-classical. Bi or multinucleation with n = 39 (60%), perinuclear halo with n = 37 (56.9%), light dyskeratosis and hyperchromatic nucleus, both with n = 32 (49.2%) were the most frequent. Whereas dyskeratosis was predominant with n = 20 (100%) in NIC I and light dyskeratosis with n = 35 (87.5%) in inflammation, in Ascus and Agus perinuclear halo, hyperchromatic nucleus, giant cells and bi or multinucleation, with n = 4 (100%) each, were predominant. The 20 NIC I cases, ten out of the 40 inflammation cases and all Ascus (n = 1) and Agus (n = 3) cases were HPV positive when non-classical criteria were employed. Hybrid capture revealed 52.3% of positive cases with viral infection by cytology to the detriment of 23.1% when classical criteria were used. A considerable number of samples initially diagnosed inflammatory showed viral infection which may represent the virus's subclinical variety. In the latter the molecular diagnosis was the best methodology. The use of HPV non-classical criteria by cytology seems to be important to improve efficiency of diagnosis.
Cytology; HPV; Non-classical criteria
