What does the distinction between low-risk and high-risk HPV mean?
When the HPV virus is in contact with human cells, it may cause changes to the cell. These changes are called lesions. High-risk oncogenic HPV types are able to integrate into the DNA of the cell and modify its behaviour in a way that can result in cancer. High-risk HPV are the cause of nearly all cervical cancers. They can also cause cancers of the anus, penis, vagina and vulva. There is growing evidence that high-risk types may also be involved in some cancers of the mouth and throat. Conversely, low-risk HPV types do not cause cancer. Some low-risk HPV types can cause genital warts (these are called condyloma) and other low-risk types cause lesions that are of no medical consequence or cause no lesions at all. Although people might feel uncomfortable having warts in their genital region, these lesions are not life threatening and rarely present health complications. Condyloma can develop very quickly or very slowly, they may be undetectable to the eye and they may clear up without t
