HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES

This article concentrates on those human papillomaviruses (HPVs) invol ved in premalignant and malignant disease of the lower genital tract. There is discussion of the role of HPVs in disease, the frequency of i nfection and disease in different age groups, and the methods of testi ng for HPV DNA in cervical cells or biopsies. Included is an appendix that briefly describes the virally coded proteins and what is known of their function.