It is already known that certain strains of HPV cause cancer of the cervix, rectum, and most recently the mouth and throat, but a recent study links certain strains of the virus to skin cancer. The study is published in the PLoS Pathogens journal.
The research was carried out using mice at the German Cancer Research Centre where it was revealed that HPV was associated with non-melanoma skin cancers. The mice infected with a strain of HPV and who were then exposed to UV light, were more inclined to develop squamous-cell carcinoma than the mice that were not infected with the strain of HPV. The study also showed that mice who had a weaker immune system were more at risk of developing skin cancer.
It is important to remember that not all types of HPV can cause these serious diseases. The most common forms of HPV will cause genital warts that can quite easily be treated.