Papillomaviruses were first identified in the early 20th century, when it was shown that skin warts, or papillomas, could be transmitted between individuals by a filterable infectious agent. In 1935 Francis Peyton Rous, who had previously demonstrated the existence of a cancer-causing sarcoma virus in chickens, went on to show that a papillomavirus could cause skin cancer in infected rabbits. This was the first demonstration that a virus could cause cancer in mammals.

It is now recognized that papillomaviruses are a diverse group of non-enveloped DNA viruses that infect animals ranging from birds to manatees. More than 100 different human papillomavirus (HPV) types have also been identified. Clinical aspects of HPV infection are outlined in the main article human papillomavirus. The current article addresses the biology of papillomaviruses in general.

Papillomaviruses replicate exclusively in body surface tissues such as the skin, or the mucosal surfaces of the genitals, anus, mouth, or airways. Most papillomavirus types are adapted to infection of particular body surfaces. For example, HPV types 1 and 2 tend to infect the soles of the feet or the palms of the hands, respectively, where they may cause warts.

Cancers caused by a dozen or so "high-risk" HPV types kill several hundred thousand people per year worldwide and are a major focus of public health research.