Objective: To investigate the relations of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection with the clinicopathologic characteristics of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients and its correlation with the proto-oncogene c-erbB-2 expression in the tumor tissues of the patients. Methods: HPV DNA detection and typing were performed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the specimens of IDC breast tissues (60 cases), fibroadenoma breast tissues (30 cases) and normal breast tissues (30 cases). Meanwile, the C-erbB-2 protein expression in the IDC breast tissues was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results: The HPV infection rate in IDC breast tissues was 36.7% (22/60), in which the HPV-33 accounted for 59.1% of the total HPV positive cases (13/22). The HPV infection rate in fibroadenoma breast tissues and normal breast tissues group was 13.30% and 3.33% respectively, which was significantly lower than that in IDC breast tissues (χ2=5.300, P=0.021). HPV infection in the IDC tissues was associated with the histologic grade and axillary lymph node metastasis of the patients (both P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between HPV infection and C-erbB-2 protein expression in IDC breast tissues (r=0.486, P<0.001). Conclusion: HPV infection contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of IDC, and also closely related to the degree of differentiation and invasive ability of the tumor. HPV infection participates in the occurrence and development of breast cancer and that may probably be effected by promoting the high expression of C-erbB-2.