Molecular Epidemiology of Human Papillomavirus

• Main Authors: Talia Hoory, Archana Monie, Patti Gravitt, T.-C. Wu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2008-03-01
• Series: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
• Subjects: cervical cancer; epidemiology; human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664608601382

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been considered to be an etiologic factor for anogenital cancers, such as cervical cancer and possibly a subset of cancers of the aerodigestive tract. These small, non-enveloped, double-stranded DNA viruses primarily infect the epithelium and induce benign as well as malignant lesions of the mucosa and skin. Some HPVs are considered to be high-risk due to their strong implication in carcinogenesis, particularly the malignant progression of cervical tumors. The recognition of papillo-maviruses as a major etiologic agent for human cancers has increased their medical importance and stimulated research into developing strategies for the screening, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of HPV-associated diseases.