History of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

In 1972, the association of the human papilloma viruses with skin cancer in epidermodysplasia verruciformis was proposed by Stefania Jablonska in Poland. In 1978, Jablonska and Gerard Orth at the Pasteur Institute discovered HPV-5 in skin cancer. In 1976 Harald zur Hausen published the hypothesis that human papilloma virus plays an important role in the cause of cervical cancer. In 1983 and 1984 zur Hausen and his collaborators identified HPV16 and HPV18 in cervical cancer.