HPV

HPV Human Papillomavirus

What is HPV?

Approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection.

How is HPV spread or contracted?

• Genital skin-to-skin contact
• Oral, anal or vaginal sex

What are the symptoms of HPV?

• Gential warts
• Precancerous changes on penis, scrotum, vagina, cervix, anus

How do you get tested?

Pelvic exam
Pap smear of cervix to look for precancerous/cancerous cells

How is it treated?

There is no cure for HPV.  Because most people don't know they have HPV, they don't seek medical treatment.  Warts caused by HPV can be treated, but treatment doesn't guarantee the warts wont's return.  Abnormal Pap smears and cervical cancer can be treated, but successful treatment depends on finding those problems early.

Is there a connection between HPV infection and cervical cancer?

All types of HPV can cause mild Pap test abnormalities which do not have serious consequences. Approximately 10 of the 30 identified genital HPV types can lead, in rare cases, to development of cervical cancer. Research has shown that for most women (90 percent), cervical HPV infection becomes undetectable within two years. Although only a small proportion of women have persistent infection, persistent infection with "high-risk" types of HPV is the main risk factor for cervical cancer.

A Pap test can detect pre-cancerous and cancerous cells on the cervix. Regular Pap testing and careful medical follow-up, with treatment if necessary, can help ensure that pre-cancerous changes in the cervix caused by HPV infection do not develop into life threatening cervical cancer. The Pap test used in U.S. cervical cancer screening programs is responsible for greatly reducing deaths from cervical cancer.

How does HPV affect a pregnant woman and her baby?
Rarely, a pregnant woman can pass HPV to her baby during vaginal delivery. A baby that is exposed to HPV very rarely develops warts in the throat or voice box.