ReviewViruses2026
Non-Sexual Transmission of Papillomavirus: Is It Part of Our Virome?
Review in Viruses, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) has traditionally been considered a sexually transmitted infection, yet accumulating evidence demonstrates that HPV can be acquired through multiple non-sexual routes. Understanding these alternative transmission pathways is critical for interpreting HPV detection in non-sexually active populations and for refining public health strategies.
methodsThis review synthesizes current evidence on non-sexual HPV transmission routes, including vertical (transplacental, intrapartum), perinatal oropharyngeal colonization, fomite contamination, breast milk transmission, and horizontal non-sexual contact. We examine HPV prevalence data from female virgins, neonates, infants, and children, and evaluate metagenomic evidence positioning HPV as a component of the human virome across multiple body sites.
resultsPublished studies report that vertical transmission occurs in approximately 18.2% of HPV-positive mothers, with neonatal HPV positivity of 3.4% at birth and 100% genotype concordance in transmission pairs. Transplacental transmission has been documented in 10.2% of concordant mother-placenta-newborn triads. Reviewed studies report oropharyngeal colonization at birth reaching 58.2% following vaginal delivery, with 94.3% of colonized neonates clearing infection by 24 months. HPV DNA has been detected on fomites and medical devices, in breast milk (8.6-15%), and across body sites in healthy adults (skin 61.3%, vagina 41.5%, oral cavity 30%, gut 17.3%). Metagenomic studies identify HPV DNA in 68.9% of healthy individuals, with 109 distinct types detected. Female virgins show HPV prevalence ranging from 0-51.1% across studies.
conclusionsThe reviewed evidence suggests that HPV exhibits characteristics of a ubiquitous virome component with multiple non-sexual acquisition routes. These findings have important implications for vaccination strategies, screening interpretation, infection control in healthcare settings, and counseling of pediatric cases and non-sexually active individuals.
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Registered trials
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