Perception of HPV in children

ABSTRACT

Human papillomavirus [HPV], with its more than 100 genotypes, is a cause of different diseases, ranging from malignant epithelial tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma in cervix and mouth to benign skin warts. HPV transmission generally occurs through direct person to person contact and exposure to infected material. Since the involvement of HPV in oral carcinoma in adults has been established, high risk strains are being explored in oral cavity of children. The presence of HPV in children presents a serious problem especially when the modes of viral transmission in child always remain a controversial issue. In children presence of HPV shows a strong indication of sexual abuse, though infection from direct contact cannot be ruled out, since the virus has been proven to thrive successfully at a range of sites and infect healthy people. This review aims to discuss HPV mode of transmission in children and its associated epidemiology