ABSTRACT
References The human papillomavirus (HPV) has a wide range of clinical manifestations, from benign cutaneous nuisances to lifethreatening cellular transformations. As the science in this area progresses, we are often left with more questions than answers. Nowhere is this more true than in the area of HPV epidemiology. Currently, there are at least 83 unique types of HPV characterized by DNA sequencing.1 In addition, over 150 types have been identified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). As these viruses are split into finer and finer genotypic categories, we find that there is often considerable overlap in their phenotypic characteristics yielding clinically indistinguishable infections, e.g. at least 15 types of HPV are associated with cervical carcinoma.2 This chapter is devoted to: (1) placing HPV epidemiology into historical perspective; (2) providing background information on the way epidemiological data are gathered; (3) analysing current trends in cutaneous HPV infections both in the normal host and in the immunocompromised patient; and (4) presenting the current data about mucosal and sexually transmitted HPV infections.
