Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
What is Human Papilloma Virus?
Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection. In fact, nearly 80% of the sexually active population will acquire HPV at some point in their lives. The majority of those infections (about 90 percent) will go away on their own, without causing problems, within a year or two.
There are over 100 types of HPV, and more than 30 of those are sexually transmitted by vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse. There are "low risk" types of HPV, which are linked to genital warts, and “high risk” types of HPV, which may cause abnormal pap smears and are linked to cervical cancer.
How do I get HPV?
HPV or Genital warts are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, or by vaginal, oral, or anal sex with an infected partner.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
Most people who are infected with HPV do not know it because symptoms never appear. When symptoms do appear, they are soft, moist, pink or flesh-colored swellings or warts in the genital area. They can appear on the vulva, in the vagina, on the cervix or penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh.
Symptoms may appear within weeks or months, or not at all. Most people infected with HPV are unaware of it, but may still transmit the virus to sexual partners.
How is HPV diagnosed?
Genital warts are diagnosed through visual inspection by your Medical Provider.
A Pap test can detect "high risk" HPV types in women. There are currently no HPV tests available for men.
How is HPV treated?
Visible warts can be removed by medications that you apply or by treatments performed by your Medical Provider.
Ninety percent of cervical HPV infections become undetectable within two years. For those 10% with persistent "high-risk" infection, ongoing Pap tests will be essential.
How do I prevent HPV?
There is an HPV Vaccine available, called Gardasil, that protects girls and women from four HPV types: Types 6 and 11 which account for 90% of genital warts (low-risk HPV), and types 16 and 18 which account for 70% of the cases of cervical cancer (high-risk HPV). The vaccine is recommended for girls and women, ages 9-26, and given in a three dose series over six months. Gardasil is available through Health Services. The cost is $145 per injection and is often covered by Health Insurance.
Vaccinated women still need to continue with Pap tests because the vaccine does not protect against all HPV types that cause cervical cancer.
Correct and consistent use of condoms can reduce the risk of getting HPV or Genital Warts, though a condom may not cover all infected areas.
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