In recent years, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in female genital organs has attracted increasing attention because of its association with lesions in the uterine cervix, especially cervical carcinoma. In this study, the author attempted to determine the presence or absence of HPV infection in the cervical region by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, which has become practical thanks to the development of thermostable DNA polymerase, and compared this method with traditional Southern blotting. Moreover, we conducted PCR after detecting DNA by two methods: target punch biopsy and cervicovaginal lavage, and compared the results in terms of detection. 1. The results of HPV detection from the isolated tissue were compared with those of traditional Southern blotting and PCR combined with subsequent hybridization under high stringency (PCR-H). Among the cases that showed negative response with the former method, two of six specimens of cervical carcinoma tissue, and four of eight specimens of normal cervical tissue yielded a positive response as a result of hybridization under low stringency after PCR (PCR-L). HPV was investigated in 56 clinical specimens by PCR. PCR-L was positive in 50.0% and 20.0% of the specimens of cervical carcinoma and normal cervical tissue, respectively. With PCR-H, the positive rates were 37.5% and 7.5% in cervical carcinoma and normal cervical tissue, respectively. 2. Among CIN patients who were followed up at the outpatient clinic, PCR was conducted in specimens obtained by cervicovaginal lavage and target punch biopsy, and the rates of HPV detection were compared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)