HPV - oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal infections.

摘要

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) play an important role in the development of benign and malignant hyperproliferative lesions in the genital and head and neck regions. For many years the main focus of discussion in HPV infections has been the malignant progression of anogenital lesions. We feel that it is now appropriate to assemble and discuss current knowledge of HPV infections in the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cavities, which is the reason why we have addressed this topic in the APMIS special issue of 2010. The series of contributions to this volume has been written by top scientists and clinicians working in the field who are faced with the daily challenge of treating patients with these devastating infections. The special issue on 'HPV - oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal infections' has seven chapters covering the molecular biology of HPV and basic knowledge of the natural history of the virus during infection of the mucosal epithelia as well as the current knowledge on the epidemiology, immunology and cancer development related to HPV infections in the head and neck regions.