The aim of this study was to identify human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and to evaluate the persistence of HPV after loop electrosurgical excision precedure (LEEP).

Records of 138 patients with LEEP performed due to cervicitis, CIN I, CIN II and CIN III were reviewed and persistence of HPV were followed up at 3, 6, 9 and 12 month after LEEP treatment from January 1996 to December 1999.

Among 202 patients, 138 cases (68.3%) were showed HPV positive before LEEP and histologic findings were showed as cervicitis 20 cases (14.5%), CIN I 23 cases (16.7%), CIN II 31 cases (22.5%) and CIN III 64 cases (46.3%). Persistence of HPV after LEEP treatment were 10.9% (15/138) at 3 month and 2.9% (4/138) at 6 month. However, among 15 cases of persistent HPV, only 5 cases (33.3%) were showed an abnormal Pap smear at 3 month after LEEP.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) was eliminated over 90% at 3 month after LEEP treatment in CIN. Detection of HPV was helpful to estimate therapeutic effect and to predict the recurrence or persistence of CIN after LEEP treatment.