Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Overview

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of small, non-enveloped double-stranded DNA viruses that infect cutaneous and mucosal epithelial cells, transmitted primarily through skin-to-skin and sexual contact. More than a hundred genotypes are recognized and classified as low-risk or high-risk according to oncogenic potential. Low-risk types commonly cause benign genital and skin warts, whereas persistent infection with high-risk types is a central driver of carcinogenesis. The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 inactivate the tumor-suppressor pathways governed by p53 and retinoblastoma protein, promoting genomic instability, unchecked cell-cycle progression, and malignant transformation. High-risk HPV is the principal cause of cervical cancer and contributes substantially to anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers, with progression typically passing through detectable precancerous epithelial changes. Because many infections are transient and asymptomatic, screening strategies such as cervical cytology and HPV DNA testing are used to identify persistent infection and precursor lesions before invasive disease develops. Prophylactic vaccines targeting major high-risk and wart-associated genotypes confer strong protection when administered before exposure, and are a cornerstone of cancer-prevention programs. Diagnosis and genotyping increasingly rely on molecular and proteomic techniques. As a sexually transmitted infection with oncogenic consequences, HPV remains a major focus of prevention, screening, and virus-induced carcinogenesis research.

Research published in this journal

6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 6 articles above have been cited 3 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

• Health-seeking in fragile and conflict-affected settings: how armed violent conflict shapes maternal and child health-seeking behaviours
  2026 · BMC Public Health
• Absence of Endocervical / Transformation Zone Component in Cervical Papanicolaou Smears in Northeastern Region of Peninsular Malaysia: Prevalence and Risk Factors
  2020 · International Journal of Human and Health Sciences (IJHHS)
• Absence of Endocervical / Transformation Zone Component in Cervical Papanicolaou Smears in Northeastern Region of Peninsular Malaysia: Prevalence and Risk Factors
  Siti Mariam Ja’afar et al. · 2020 ·

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Human Papillomavirus (HPV), linking to each citing work.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

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