Title:Overview of Human Papillomavirus Infection
Volume: 24
Issue: 2
Author(s): Mohammad Darvishi*, Majid Nouri, Maziar Zahir, Maryam Asli, Seyed Zia Hejripoor and Ebrahim Karimi
Affiliation:
- Department of Aerospace and Subaquatic Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Centre
(IDTMRC), AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Keywords:
Epidemiology, human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV-related disease, pathogenesis, natural history, treatment, vaccination.
Abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA oncogenic virus. HPV infection is the most common
sexually transmitted disease, and is capable of infecting mucosal and cutaneous membranes of
the anogenital, upper aerodigestive tract, and other head and neck mucosal regions. Although HPV
infection is generally asymptomatic and can be easily resolved by the immune system, if it persists
and progresses, it can lead to cancer. HPV is permanently responsible for 5% of human cancers. Malignant
lesions related to HPV include oral and respiratory squamous cell carcinomas, and cervical
and anogenital cancers. Currently, no specific treatment is available for HPV infection, and therapeutic
procedures (tissue ablation, chemotherapy, cryotherapy, and immunomodulation) cannot eliminate
the virus completely. Vaccination and cervical screening are two methods that have been developed
to provide protection against oncogenic HPV. Unfortunately, no effective protocol for vaccination,
prevention, testing, or treatment has yet been proposed in the developing countries. In this review, we
have reviewed the knowledge gained from recent studies on virology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations,
epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of HPV infection.