What are low- and high-risk HPV types?

The genital HPV types are classified into two groups: low and high risk HPV. Low-risk HPV (e.g. 6, 11, 42, 43, 44) are almost never detected in case of a cervical cancer. High-risk HPV types (e.g. 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58) are detected in 99.7% of all cervical cancer cases. In 70% of the cases, HPV16 and HPV18 are detected. Only women with long-term infection with high-risk HPV and subsequent cervical lesions have a risk of developing precancerous lesions and cancer. It is well-established nowadays that HPV infection ist he main risk factor for the development of cervical cancer.