Papillomavirus

n. papilloma virus, type of circular DNA- based virus that infects the skin or mucous membrane and causes papillomas in animals and genital warts in humans (some types of papilloma viruses are associated with cervical, anal and oral cancer)

Papillomaviruses were first identified in the early 20th century, when it was shown that skin warts, or papillomas, could be transmitted between individuals by a filterable infectious agent. In 1935 Francis Peyton Rous, who had previously demonstrated the existence of a cancer-causing sarcoma virus in chickens, went on to show that a papillomavirus could cause skin cancer in infected rabbits. This was the first demonstration that a virus could cause cancer in mammals.
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Papillomavirus /pap·il·lo·ma·vi·rus/ any virus of the subfamily Papillomavirinae. human papillomavirus any of a number of species that cause [more]Papillomavirus - Community and Resources