Conjugation

Human papillomavirus infection (HPV infection) is an infection caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a DNA virus from the Papillomaviridae family, Many HPV infections cause no symptoms, and 90% resolve within two years, however in some cases, an HPV infection persists and results in either warts or precancerous lesions. These lesions, depending on the site affected, increase the risk of cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, mouth, tonsils, or throat. Nearly all cervical cancer are due to HPV; two strains, HPV16 and HPV18, account for 70% of cases. HPV16 is responsible for almost 90% of HPV positive, oropharyngeal cancers. Between 60% and 90% of the other cancers listed above are also linked to HPV. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) globally. Worldwide an estimated 569,000 new cases of cervical cancer occur annually , with 311,000 deaths. Around 85% of these cervical cancers occurred in low and middle-income countries. In the United States, about 30,700 cases of cancer due to HPV occur each year.