noun
- A virus that infects the skin and mucous membranes of humans and animals, some types of which can cause warts or lead to certain cancers.
Usage: Medical/scientific term; Often abbreviated as HPV (human papillomavirus)
Examples
- Human papillomavirus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.
- Certain strains of papillomavirus are associated with cervical cancer in women.
- The papillomavirus vaccine helps protect against several high-risk types of the virus.
- Doctors screen for papillomavirus infection during routine health checkups.
- Most people infected with papillomavirus clear the infection naturally within a few years.