PV

A page dedicated to the scientific research and academic study of PV (Papillomavirus).

PV

PV: Papillomaviruses (PVs) infect not just humans, but other vertebrates such as horses, cattle and rabbits, although they have a restricted host range and show exquisite tissue tropism. They are relatively difficult to culture, because their complete complex lifecycle only occurs in terminally differentiated squamous epithelial cells. Consequently obtaining large volumes of antigen for serological assays or vaccine development has been difficult. Development of virus-like particles (VLPs) has however revolutionized current vaccine development (see Chapter 18).

The clinical spectrum of Human PV disease ranges from asymptomatic infection, to benign warts (also known as condylomata acuminata and primarily caused by low risk Human PV 6 and 11) to metastasising malignancy. Oncogenic Human PVs have been associated with neoplasia in many sites including oropharyngeal (20%) and oesophageal (10-20%) cancers, non-melanotic skin cancer (80-90%), cervical (>99%), vaginal (50%), anal (85%), vulval (35%) and penile (25%) cancers
(adapted from Michelle Giles and Suzanne M. Garland in Papillomaviruses)