HPV: A common infection with rare but severe problems

Among people infected by HPV, only a small percentage will develop serious problems. In most infected individuals, the virus causes no problem apart from a temporary inflammation that may remain unnoticed and be automatically suppressed by the immune system.  We do not yet know which individuals are more “sensitive” and at a higher risk. It seems that in cases with carcinogenesis, the immune system and the tumor suppressing mechanisms fail.