History
In the 1970s and 1980s German virologist Harald zur Hausen pursued the idea that cervical cancer was caused by a virus, and in 1983–84 found HPV16 and HPV18 in tumor tissue. The discovery earned him the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and opened the way to preventing cancer with a vaccine. The first HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was approved in the US in 2006; Korea added it for 12-year-old girls to the national schedule in 2016.
Infection and disease
HPV spreads through skin and mucosal contact, mainly sexual, and is so common that most sexually active people are infected at some point. About 90% of infections clear within one to two years, but persistent high-risk types can lead to cervical cancer as well as anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers. Low-risk types 6 and 11 cause genital warts, and types such as 1, 2 and 4 cause common warts.
Prevention
A 2020 Swedish study of about 1.7 million women found that those vaccinated before age 17 had an 88% lower risk of invasive cervical cancer. Vaccination works best before sexual activity begins, and also protects males against genital warts and some cancers. Because vaccines do not cover every type, regular cervical screening remains important.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
FAQ
- Does HPV infection always lead to cancer?
- No—most infections clear within two years; only persistent high-risk infection raises cancer risk.
- Is vaccination useful in adulthood?
- It does little against types already acquired but protects against others, so it is often recommended up to about age 26.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- zur Hausen, H. (2009). Papillomaviruses in the causation of human cancers — a brief historical account. Virology, 384(2), 260–265.
- World Health Organization. (2024). Human papillomavirus and cancer (Fact sheet).
- Lei, J., et al. (2020). HPV vaccination and the risk of invasive cervical cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 383(14), 1340–1348.