cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women world-wide. although persistent human papillomavirus (hpv) infection is considered the most important causative agent of cervical cancer, the mechanisms toward malignant transformation remain unclear. some evidence suggest that bacterial vaginosis (bv), a shift in normal vaginal flora toward infection of gram-negative bacteria, may play a role in the development of cervical cancer. as part of the innate immune system, toll-like receptors (tlr) are important for the early detection and clearance of viral and bacterial infections, and are posed to play an important role in the development of cervical cancer.