The ISIS Project
About HPV
What is HPV?
HPV is a virus called the human papillomavirus (pronounced "pap-ah-LO-mah"). There are many different types of HPV that doctors tell apart by numbering them. About 30 types of HPV infect the genitals. About 15 types of HPV can cause cervical cancer.
These 15 viruses are called "high risk" because they increase your risk of getting cervical cancer. "High risk" has nothing to do with your sexual behavior or practices. "Low risk" types of HPV are not linked to cancer but cause genital warts. On this web page, we will only be talking about "high risk types" of HPV which are the ones that cause cancer. (For more information on genital warts, visit the American Social Health Association website. If you think you have genital warts, contact your healthcare provider to find out about treatment options.)
How common is HPV?
HPV is very common. Any person (female or male) who is (or has been) sexually active can get HPV. Millions of Americans are affected by HPV every year. In fact, almost every woman will get HPV at least once in her life. 8 out of 10 women have been infected with HPV by the time they reach age 50 years.
Does HPV have any symptoms?
Most of the time HPV infection is a "silent infection" with no symptoms. Even if an HPV infection results in abnormal cell changes or cervical cancer, there usually are no symptoms. That's why it is important to be screened regularly.
How do you get HPV?
HPV can be spread during vaginal, anal sex and possibly during oral sex. You do not have to have sexual intercourse to get HPV. Any type of skin-to-skin genital contact can spread HPV. Although condoms provide some protection, they cannot prevent infection completely, because they do not cover all areas of the genital region. You can reduce your risk of getting HPV by using condoms every time you have sex. Condoms help reduce the spread of HPV but they are not 100% effective.
Is there anything I can do to prevent getting HPV?
The most effective way to prevent getting HPV is to abstain from sexual contact. If you cannot abstain from sex, you should use condoms every time you have sex to decrease your chances of getting HPV. Although condoms provide some protection, they cannot prevent infection completely, because they do not cover all areas of the genital region. It is important to know that while having more than one sexual partner may increase the risk of getting HPV, it is possible to get the virus from just one sexual encounter.
Are there any treatments for HPV?
There are no medicines that you can take against HPV. Antibiotics or other medicines do not treat HPV infection. The virus usually goes away on its own without causing any problems. In some women, long lasting HPV infection may cause abnormal cell changes and cervical cancer. With early treatment of these cell changes cervical cancer can be prevented.
If I have HPV, does this mean that I will get cancer?
No. Most of the time, your body's immune system will clear HPV on its own. Most women clear the virus within 2 years. Women who do not clear the virus (those with a "persistent infection") are at increased risk of getting cancer. Just because you have not cleared the virus does not mean you will get cancer. An HPV infection that is long lasting ("persistent") means that your doctor will have to follow you more regularly with testing.
Can you tell when I got HPV?
HPV is usually an infection with no symptoms. That makes it nearly impossible to determine exactly when you got an HPV infection or how long you have been infected. Having HPV does not mean you are promiscuous or sleeping around.
What should I tell my partner?
You should explain to your partner that HPV is very common. More than 50 % of sexually active men and women will get HPV at some point in their lives. People will not know whom they got HPV from or when they got HPV. Having HPV does not mean that you or your current partner is cheating.
Also, sexual partners can reinfect each other with HPV. You can be infected by another type of HPV. But, once you have one type of HPV you cannot get that type again.
Can men be tested for HPV? There currently is no FDA-approved HPV test for men. Although HPV infection has been linked to cancer of the penis and anus, these cancers are very rare in men.