Genetic diversity of cutaneous human papillomaviruses

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) of the genera Betapapillomavirus and Gammapapillomavirus are common on human skin. Sequencing of subgenomic amplicons of cutaneous HPVs has revealed a large number of novel putative HPV types within these genera. Phylogenetic analysis based on these amplicons revealed 133 putative HPV types with <90% sequence identity to any known HPV type or to each other. As there are already 34 characterized HPV types described within the genera Betapapillomavirus and Gammapapillomavirus, they appear to be the most genetically diverse of the HPVs, apparently comprising at least 167 different HPV types.