The role of human papillomavirus infection in the head and neck region and methods for its detection.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the etiological factors of many benign and malignant lesions localized in the skin and mucous membranes in the region of the urogenital organs and head and neck. Currently, most assays for the detection of HPV are based on detecting the presence of viral nucleic acids, mostly viral DNA. These molecular techniques can be divided into: 1) methods based on a targeted, selective amplification of nucleic acids, 2) signal amplification methods, 3) nucleic acid hybridization assays. This paper presents and explains a number of different HPV detection methods and provides examples of some commonly available commercial tests.