Vertical Transmission of Human Papillomavirus Infections
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 6334
Special Issue Editor
2. Emerita Chief Physician (Co-affiliation), Department of Pathology, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
Interests: human papillomaviruses; cancer; oral mucosa; upper aero-digestive tract; genital mucosa
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Though HPV infection of genital mucosa is recognized as a sexually transmitted infection (STI, the source of this infection can rarely (if ever) be identified. Furthermore, almost everyone acquires an HPV infection by adulthood, unlike other known STIs.
HPV infects the aero-digestive tract, and these oral and oral-pharyngeal HPV infections have been frequently ascribed to oral sex. However, these infections are also found in infants and young children, and thus, sexual abuse as a potential mode of transmission has been discussed in this context. Contradictory to all other anatomic sites, HPV infection of the larynx in infants and young children causing recurrent juvenile respiratory papillomas (JoRRP) is a consequence of maternal infection.
In order to prevent HPV infection, it is essential to know how and when the first HPV infection is acquired. This applies to infection with both mucosal low-risk and high-risk HPV types, as well as infections with the skin HPV types. The first HPV infection can be vertical. Vertical transmission has different modes, such as peri-conceptual transmission during fertilization or thereupon, prenatal transmission in utero during pregnancy, as well as perinatal transmission during vaginal delivery. After birth, horizontal HPV transmission is possible during nursing, between family members or in daycares and school. Maternal passive immunization as well as innate and adaptive immunity of children are of importance in understanding the outcome of HPV infections, irrespective of whether acquired vertically or later in life.
The consequences of maternal infections (even the subclinical ones) during pregnancy can be multiple and fatal or significantly harmful for the developing fetus, resulting in perinatal complications and/or chronic disease throughout postnatal life. On the other hand, early viral replication may lead to the development of HPV immunity at an early age, which may be central to combating future HPV infections, e.g., STIs.
This Special Issue aims to cover research relating to the frequency and modes of vertical transmission of both mucosal and cutaneous HPV genotypes. It will also focus on the role of passive immunization via mother, the development of HPV-specific immune response at early ages and its impact on clearing early HPV infections. We invite you to share your recent findings or perspectives on vertical transmission of papillomaviruses in human and also in animal species.
Prof. Dr. Stina Syrjänen
Guest Editor
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