Two decades ago scientists found a direct link between cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV). The sexual transmitted diesese is responsible for 99% of cervical cancer cases and nearly 25 million women are infected with the virus. About 1 in 4 women will contract the virus atleast once in her lifetime. Annually, about 473,000 women worldwide are infected with cervical cancer and 253,500 women die each year. In developing countries, cervical cancer is the number one cause of death among women. About 50% of men and women will become infected with HPV and 80% of women will have contracted the virus atleast once by age 50. In 2005, a survey showed that only 38.3% of US women knew what HPV was and over 50% of those didn't even know HPV caused cervical cancer.