Viruses Genomes - HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS

The definition of papilloma is a small benign epithelial tumor, such as a wart, consisting of an overgrowth of cells on a core of smooth connective tissue.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common virus groups in the world and leads to a wide variety of clinical manifestations involving the epidermal surfaces. Manifestations include common warts (verrucae vulgaris), palmo-plantar warts, flat warts (verrucae plana), oral warts, focal epithelia hyperplasia, epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EDV), genital warts (condyloma acuminata), Bowen papulosis, Bowen disease, papillomas of the mucosal surfaces, and intraepithelial neoplasias. Certain papillomaviruses are involved in cervical and genital cancers.

(HPVs) are grouped broadly into cutaneous and mucosal types, based on the clinical location of the lesion. Although some overlap exists, most papillomaviruses have distinct anatomic predilections, infecting only certain epidermal sites, such as skin or genital mucosa. More than 100 different types of HPV exist, most of which are harmless. About 30 of these types are spread through sexual contact.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, single or multiple bumps that appear in the genital areas of men and women including the vagina, cervix, vulva (area outside of the vagina), penis, and rectum.Genital warts are the most easily recognised sign of genital HPV infection They soft, moist, or flesh coloured and appear in the genital area within weeks or months after infection. Genital warts are very contagious and are spread during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with an infected partner. About two-thirds of people who have sexual contact with a partner with genital warts will develop warts, usually within 3 months of contact. Like many STDs, HPV infection often does not cause visible symptoms. One study reported that almost half of the women infected with HPV had no obvious symptoms. Because the virus can remain latent in the skin, infected persons may not be aware of their infection and the potential risk of transmission to others.

Some types of HPV cause common skin warts, such as those found on the hands and soles of the feet. These types of HPV do not cause genital warts.

Some sexually transmitted HPVs are linked with genital and anal cancers in both women and men. Of greatest significance, some types of HPV can cause changes in the cells of the cervix, which can eventually lead to cervical cancer. HPV is the most important risk factor for cervical cancer in women. Two types of genital tract HPV in particular, HPV 16 and HPV 18, are known to cause up to 95% of cervical cancers, and new studies show that they may be linked to oral cancer as well. The types of HPV that cause visible genital warts are usually not the same as those leading to precancerous cell changes of the cervix.

There is currently no cure for human papillomavirus. Once an individual is infected, he or she carries the virus for life even if genital warts are removed. Some estimates of the prevalence of HPV infection in the population range as high as 79%. Warts may arise on any skin surface, but occur most commonly at acral sites. Although treatment may remove the wart, the virus remains latent within the skin cells.

HPV types and what they are known to cause:

References:

http://www.health-science-report.com/
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdhpv.htm
http://www.nccc-online.org/hpv.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1037.htm
http://www.engenderhealth.org/wh/inf/dhp.html#other
http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/diseases/verruca_vulgaris.htm
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/humanpapillomavirus.htm