What are low- and high-risk HPV types?
• The genital HPV types can be divided into two broad groups (low-risk and high-risk HPVs) depending upon their association (or lack of association) with cancers of the lower genital tract. • Low-risk HPV types (6, 11, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, and 81) are virtually never found in cancers. Therefore, they are also called non-carcinogenic HPV. • High-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82) have been identified in cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, and penis. Therefore, they are also called carcinogenic HPV. • The most common types (> 90%) detected in genital warts are HPV 6 and HPV 11. • The most common HPV type detected in both normal women and in women with cervical cancer is HPV 16. • The majority of cervical cancers (80%) are caused by just 4 HPV types (16, 18, 31, and 45). Return to top How common is HPV? • Genital HPV is very common. It is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) and is likely to be the most comm
