The 45 different types of Human Papillomavirus which may be found on our skin and mucous membranes can be divided into low and high risk tumor types.
- Infections caused by low-risk types (e.g. HPV 6 and 11) are usually associated with the development of warts in the genital region.
- Persistent infections, related to HPV types such as α-papillomavirus, are instead associated with high risk types and therefore the risk of developing cervical cancer and other types of HPV-related cancer.
- The types considered high risk are: HPV 16, 18, 35, 39, 45, 51, 31.33, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82, while 26, 53 and 66 are considered as probably carcinogenic.
- HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 52 and 58 are the types most commonly involved in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers and lesions.
High cancer risk HPV types may be present, even silently, in subjects with benign lesions caused by low-risk strains.
