papillomavirus

American  

[pap-uh-loh-muh-vahy-ruhs] / ˌpæp əˈloʊ məˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

plural

papillomaviruses

1. any of several viruses of the family Papovaviridae, containing circular DNA, causing papillomas in various animals and responsible for human genital warts.

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Etymology

Origin of papillomavirus

papilloma + virus

Example Sentences

Doctors typically swab a patient’s cervix in clinical settings to test for high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus, an infection that can cause cancer when left untreated, through Pap smears and HPV testing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Last year researchers from Edinburgh University's Bioquarter set up workshops in local schools to teach pupils about the benefits of immunisation against human papillomavirus.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2024

He has found a gallery of pathogens that threaten poultry, humans, or both: influenza and Newcastle disease virus, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Candidatus, Babesia, Rickettsia, and papillomavirus.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 26, 2023

The bill also would cover the cost of human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccinations for children under 18.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2023