Human papillomavirus infections: diagnosis, treatment, and hope for a vaccine.

HPV infections are common, with millions of Americans infected. Common gynecologic manifestations of HPV infection include genital warts and cervical neoplasia. The CDC recently issued guidelines for the treatment of genital warts. Gynecologists should be familiar with these therapies and their potential short-comings. A recently reported clinical trial has raised hopes that HPV and its sequelae may be prevented by vaccination.