A combination of photos shows the winners of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (L-R) Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, Luc Montagnier and Harald zur Hausen. [Photo: Xinhuanet/AFP]

Harald zur Hausen of Germany and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier of France on Monday won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of two viruses causing severe human diseases.

Zur Hausen will share a half of the award in 10 million Swedish kronor (US$1.40 million) and the two French scientists will share the other half, said Sweden's Karolinska Institute, which awarded the prize bearing the name of the 19th century dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel.

Zur Hausen, 72, was honored for his discovery of "human papilloma viruses (HPV) causing cervical cancer," the second most common cancer among women.

This discovery has led to characterization of the natural history of HPV infection, an understanding of mechanisms of HPV-induced carcinogenesis and the development of prophylactic vaccines against HPV acquisition, Professor Jan Andersson, a member of the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, said at a press conference.

Montagnier, 76, and Barre-Sinoussi, 61, were awarded the prize for their discovery of "human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)."

The medicine prize is traditionally the first of the Nobels handed out each year. The Nobel Laureate for physics will be announced Tuesday, followed by chemistry Wednesday, literature Thursday, the Nobel Peace Prize Friday and the Nobel Economics Prize next Monday.

Alfred Nobel, a Swedish national, established the prizes in his will in the categories of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace. The economics prize was created by Sweden's central bank in 1968.

The prizes are handed out every year on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel's death in 1896.