Listen to this note:
Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) in the United States for both women and men. About 79 million Americans have it, and it's so common that 80 percent of women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives. However, there are ways to prevent it.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women's Health (OASH) notes that HPV is typically transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
However, many women do not know they have HPV because it usually has no symptoms and usually goes away on its own. Some types of HPV can cause diseases such as genital warts or cervical cancer.
HPV is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 types. More than 40 types of HPV can be transmitted through sexual contact.
HPV is transmitted through:
- Vaginal, oral, or anal sex. HPV can be transmitted even if there are no symptoms. This means you can get HPV from someone who has no signs or symptoms.
- Genital contact. A man does not need to ejaculate for HPV to spread. And it can also be transmitted between women who have sex with women.
- The delivery of a woman to her baby.
Most people with HPV don't have any symptoms. This is one of the reasons why women need regular Pap tests. Experts recommend that you get your first Pap test at age 21.
A Pap test can detect changes in the cervix caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). If you are a woman between 30 and 65 years old, your doctor may also test you for HPV with your Pap test every five years. This is a DNA test that detects most types of HPV.
Another way to tell if you have an HPV infection is if you have genital warts. Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They can be small or large, raised or flat, or cauliflower-shaped. Doctors can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area.
HPV usually goes away on its own and doesn't cause any health problems. But when HPV doesn't go away, it can cause health problems including:
- Cervical cancer
- Other genital cancers (such as cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus)
- Oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils)
- Genital warts
- Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (a rare condition that causes warts to grow in the respiratory tract)
HPV vaccine, the best help
The HPV vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer, genital warts, and some other rare cancers. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV vaccine to prevent HPV-related diseases, including cervical cancer in women.
Experts recommend that most people get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12. The HPV vaccine works best when you get it before you have any sexual contact with another person. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the HPV vaccine for people ages 9 to 45.
You may be interested in: Vaccination is and will be the key to protecting against COVID-19, influenza and RSV
