Human papillomavirus : Subclinical and atypical manifestations : Sexually transmitted diseases

Genital human papillomavirus infection is a common sexually transmitted disease throughout the world. Epidemiological data indicates that <50% of sexually active adults have been infected although the majority will only have a transient subclinical or latent infection. The association between human papilloma virus and cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women world-wide, has made the disease an important topic of public health. In the future, screening for genital HPV DNA may become important in order to identify women at risk to develop cervical cancer, but for the time being it cannot be recommended to diagnose an asymptomatic subclinical or latent infection.