Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Pathogen and Disease Mechanism
HPV is a group of more than 200 related viruses, of which over 40 types can infect the genital tract. High-risk oncogenic strains — particularly HPV types 16 and 18 — are responsible for approximately 70% of all cervical cancers globally. Nearly 99% of all cervical cancer cases are attributable to persistent HPV infection, making it one of the few cancers with a clearly identified preventable infectious cause.
- HPV types 6 and 11: cause approximately 90% of genital warts (low-risk, non-cancerous)
- HPV types 16 and 18: high-risk oncogenic types; responsible for ~70% of cervical cancers in India
- Gardasil-4 (quadrivalent): targets HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18 — protects against both genital warts and the two most common cancer-causing types
- Cervarix (bivalent): targets only HPV 16 and 18 — being used in some other countries' national programmes
- Gardasil-9 (nonavalent): targets 9 types (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58) — broadest protection; not yet in India's national programme
- WHO recommends a single-dose schedule for girls aged 9-14 as equally effective as multi-dose schedules (updated recommendation, 2022)
● Tracked since February 25, 2026 · last seen March 11, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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