Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Up to 75% of sexually active males and females will have an HPV infection at some point in their lifetime and symptoms are generally mild or non-existent. Most HPV infections (about 70%) go away without any treatment within 1–2 years. However, there are over 40 types of HPV and becoming immune to one type does not protect an individual from becoming infected with another type. Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types over many years can cause precancerous changes leading to cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women worldwide, second only to breast cancer. Human papilloma virus (HPV) refers to a group of more than 150 related viruses that cause warts (papillomas) on different parts of the body including the hands, feet, genitals, or anus. It is one of the most common STDs and although most HPV infections self-resolve, some types can cause cervical cancer in women and anal cancers in both men and women. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Antigen Detection Assays

LSIL: low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion HSIL: high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

Progression of cervical HPV infection

Atypical squamous cells

Healthy Cervix

HPV Infection

Cervical Cancer

LSIL

HSIL

Early treatment to reverse progression

Source: https://uwaterloo.ca/foldvari-group/research-program/gene-therapy

HPVs are grouped into types based on their degree of causing cancer. Low-risk HPV types such as HPV-6 and HPV-11, are rarely associated with cancer and are the major cause (99%) of genital warts (World Health Organization). However there are 14 high-risk HPV types that are known to cause cancer, including HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-35, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-51, HPV-52,

HPV-56, HPV-58, HPV-59 and HPV-68.The most common high-risk types are HPV-16 and HPV-18 which cause about 70% of cervical cancers. HPV infection with HPV 16 or 18 can also cause anal, vaginal, vulvar, penile and some oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers. HPV-33 has also been found in cancer of the anus and vulva.