Papillomaviruses
Papillomaviruses are generally thought to be responsible only for skin warts. With over sixty-seven known types, a link has now been discovered between certain ones and cervical cancer, which causes over 4,000 deaths per year in the US alone. In 1989, it was discovered that 20% of worldwide cancers were virus-induced, with three being a major concern: hepatitis B, Epstein-Barr, and papillomavirus -- which is able to alter the host's rb gene. Research is now showing that sexually transmitted types are interacting with herpes simples-2 and HIV to further increase the risk of cervical cancer. How this is done is not yet clear since 10-50% of healthy women carry the papillomavirus as part of their natural flora. The virus is especially drawn to skin and mucus membranes, and are transmitted by direct contact. It takes approximately two to three months to produce a visible wart after contact.
Warts on the skin are caused by various strains, depending on the location -- hands, feet, larynx, etc., while warts on the genitals are caused by other strains of the papillomavirus. Papillomaviruses have been found in semenal fluid of men suffering from severe chronic warts, and have been linked to anal and penal cancers. It is implicated in the skin cancers of persons who have had kidney transplants. It has also been found in 100% of cancerous cervical cells, and, if the cancer spread to other organs, the virus was also found there.
An old folk remedy that seemed to work well to eliminate a wart was to apply the white, sticky sap from the stem of a milkweed plant to it a few times.
