Detecting human papillomavirus infection could soon be easier and more accessible. A new study found concentrated urine samples to be an effective tool for HPV screening. 

The study, presented at the ACOG Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, compared the sensitivity of HPV detection using PCR in concentrated and nonconcentrated urine samples to the standard method of cervical smear. 

The study included 126 patients between the ages of 20 and 35 from whom both urine and cervical smear samples were collected. HPV DNA was then tested in samples using PCR. 

The results showed that among the 57 patients who tested positive for HPV in at least one of the sample types, 87.7% were detected in cervical smear samples, 86% in concentrated urine samples, and 73.7% in unconcentrated urine samples. The PCR test from concentrated urine samples identified six HPV-positive cases that were not detected in the corresponding cervical smear samples. 

"This study demonstrates that concentrated urine samples can be used to detect HPV with a sensitivity almost equal to cervical smear sampling," said Dr. Harika Bodur Ozturk, one of the study's authors. "This finding could have significant implications for the prevention of cervical cancer, as obtaining urine samples is much easier and more comfortable for patients than obtaining cervical smear samples."  

The researchers suggested the use of concentrated urine samples for HPV detection could potentially enable the screening of large populations. Further studies are needed to validate the findings and explore the feasibility of implementing concentrated urine PCR testing as a standard screening method for HPV. 

The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.