Virus
Human Papillomavirus
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Human Papillomavirus
, HPV, Papillomavirus Infection, HPV Genotype, HPV Test
See Also
Common Wart
Genital Wart
Epidemiology
Prevalence
: Estimated 79 million in U.S. are HPV infected (2013)
HPV Lifetime
Prevalence
in those with at least one sexual partner: 85% in women, 91% in men
Peak HPV
Prevalence
: 20-25 years in women, 25 to 35 years in men
Incidence
: 14 million new infections U.S. per year (2013)
Women have been primary initial target for cervical
Cancer Prevention
High risk HPV
Prevalence
in U.S. females ages 15 to 19 years old: 20-25%
Men have been added in U.S. as of 2012 for HPV-related
Cancer Prevention
Annual number of new cases of HPV-related cancers in american men: 9810
HPV-related cancers in males include oral cavity, oropharynx,
Larynx
, anal cancer, penis
Risk Factors
Anogenital HPV Infection
Early sexual contact (younger age of onset)
Multiple sexual partners
Other
Sexually Transmitted Infection
s
HIV Infection
Immunocompromised
State
No barrier protection during sex
Persistent HPV infection (risk for progression)
Alcohol
use (oral and
Genital HPV
)
Tobacco Abuse
(oral and
Genital HPV
)
Types
High Risk for Anogenital Neoplasia and Cancer
HPV 16 (causes 50% of all
Cervical Cancer
s, usually squamous cell cancers)
HPV 18 (causes 20% of all
Cervical Cancer
s, usually adenocarcinoma)
HPV 31 (causes 4% of all
Cervical Cancer
s)
Other higher risk HPV types
HPV 33, 35, 39, 45
HPV 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68
Types
Low Risk HPV
Cutaneous Warts (
Common Wart
s)
HPV 1
HPV 2
HPV 4
Palmoplantar Warts
HPV 1
HPV 2
HPV 27
HPV 57
Mucosal Warts (responsible for 95% of
Genital Wart
s)
HPV 6
HPV 11
Pathophysiology
Group of over 200 DNA viruses that infect epithelial cells (skin and mucosa)
Transmission of HPV from
Genital Wart
s
HPV is very contagious due to high viral loads
Transmission rate: 65%
Incubation Period
duration following exposure: 3 weeks to 8 months
Oral transmission occurs at a lower rate
Perinatal transmission is rare
Nearly one third of
Genital Wart
s contain both High risk and low risk HPV types
Course
Spontaneous clearance of high risk or low risk HPV within 2 years for 90% of patients
Genital Wart
s clear spontaneously in up to 30% of cases within 4 months
Genital Wart
s clear on average within 6 months with treatment (80% effective)
Progression to cancer is a small percentage of overall HPV cases and typically develops over years to decades
Cancer development
HPV invades human cells
HPV DNA integrates into host cell
Viral oncoproteins (E6 and E7) are expressed
Oncoproteins bind and block tumor suppression genes (TP53, RB1)
Associated Conditions
Genital infections
Caused by ~40 HPV types
Transient HPV infection without lesions
HPV is the most common STD in women
Lifetime
Prevalence
in sexually active women: 80%
HPV infection peaks at age 20 (and again post-
Menopause
in some patients)
Genital Wart
s (
Condyloma acuminata
)
Lifetime
Prevalence
(U.S.): 1%
Perianal warts
Local spread from genitalia or
Receptive anal intercourse
Cervical Cancer
Caused by ~15 High Risk HPV types (see above)
HPV positive in 90% (HPV 16 or 18 in 90%)
CIN 1
-2 typically regress spontaneously, but persistence >1-2 years are more likely to progress to CIN3
CIN3 progresses to invasive
Cervical Cancer
in 12 to 30% of cases
HPV infection precedes
Cervical Cancer
diagnosis by 10-20 years
Typically diagnosed after age 40
HPV screening for ages 30-40 has highest yield
Genital cancers that occur less commonly
Vaginal cancer
Vulvar Cancer
Anal cancer
HPV positive in 90% (HPV 16 or 18 in 86%)
Penile Cancer
(uncircumsized men)
HPV positive in 60% (HPV 16 or 18 in 75%)
Other lesions associated with HPV infection
Oral squamous cell cancer
HPV positive in 70% (HPV 16 or 18 in >80%)
HPV positive lesions present at younger age than HPV negative lesions
With treatment, HPV positive lesions have higher survival rates than HPV negative lesions
Respiratory papillomatosis (perinatal transmission)
Associated Conditions
Non-genital
Common Wart
Plantar Wart
Respiratory papillomatosis (perinatal transmission)
Labs
HPV DNA testing by PCR
Aptiva HPV - RNA (14 high risk HPV types)
Test Sensitivity
: 97.6%
Test Specificity
: 90.2%
Cervista HPV HR - DNA (14 high risk HPV types)
Lower
Test Sensitivity
(89%) than other tests
Test Specificity
: 91%
Gives only positive or negative result (without type specific info)
Cobas HPV - DNA (HPV 14 high risk HPV types)
Test Sensitivity
: 97.3%
Test Specificity
: 84.5%
Hybrid Capture II (13 high risk HPV types)
Test Sensitivity
: 97.5%
Test Specificity
: 84.3%
Protocol
Cervical HPV Testing
HPV Testing above has 90% sensitivity at
Cervix
Perform HPV DNA testing with
Pap Smear
at age 30 and if negative repeat in 5 years
Prevention
HPV Vaccine
s
See
Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine
(
Gardasil-9
)
Most effective when administered before the onset of sexual activity
FDA approved for ages 9 to 45 years old
Part of
Primary Series
in U.S. for both genders at age 11-12 years old
Condom
s
Efficacy is 70% in HPV transmission prevention
Tobacco Cessation
Tobacco
use is associated with
Genital Wart
development and persistent HPV infection
Circumcision
(routine at birth in the U.S.)
Lower risk of HPV infection
References
Juckett (2010) Am Fam Physician 82(10): 1209-14 [PubMed]
Koshiol (2008) Am J Epidemiol 168(2): 123-37 [PubMed]
Schiffman (2007) Lancet 370(9590): 890-907 [PubMed]
Quinlan (2021) Am Fam Physician 104(2):152-9 [PubMed]
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