Over 20 different types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with tumoral lesions of the anogenital tract. Some of these lesions may become cancerous at a frequency which depends, among other risk factors, upon the type of HPV. Genital papillomaviruses with high oncogenic risk (HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35 ...) are associated with the majority of cervical cancers and to a high proportion of high grade anogenital lesions, while HPV6 and HPV11 are most often associated with benign condylomas. The recently introduced PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) has distinctly simplified and improved detection and typing of genital HPVs. PCR detection of HPV has its place in epidemiologic studies and basic research, its application in daily clinical practise is, however, still controversial. For routine analysis, PCR serves more as a complementary tool to cytology.