STI Information

HPV

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI/STD).

• HPV is a different virus than HIV and HSV (herpes).
• HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.
• There are many different types of HPV. Some types can cause health problems including genital warts and cancers. But there are vaccines that can stop these health problems from happening.
• You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex.
• HPV can be passed even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
• Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You also can develop symptoms years after you have sex with someone who is infected making it hard to know when you first became infected.
• In most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.
• 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 shaped like a cauliflower. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area.
• HPV can cause cervical and other cancers including cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. It can also cause cancer in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils (called oropharyngeal cancer).
• There is no way to know which people who have HPV will develop cancer or other health problems. People with weak immune systems (including individuals with HIV/AIDS) may be less able to fight off HPV and more likely to develop health problems from it.
• About 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV.
• About 14 million people become newly infected each year.
• HPV is so common that most sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.
• Health problems related to HPV include genital warts and cervical cancer.
• Genital warts: About 360,000 people in the United States get genital warts each year.
• Cervical cancer: More than 11,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer each year.

You can do several things to lower your chances of getting HPV:

• Get vaccinated. HPV vaccines are safe and effective. They can protect males and females against diseases (including cancers) caused by HPV when given in the recommended age groups. HPV vaccines are given in three shots over six months; it is important to get all three doses.
• Get screened for cervical cancer. Routine screening for women aged 21 to 65 years old can prevent cervical cancer.
• Vaccines are recommended for males through age 21 and for females through age 26, if they did not get vaccinated when they were younger.
• The vaccine is also recommended for gay and bisexual men (or any man who has sex with a man) through age 26.
• It is also recommended for men and women with compromised immune systems (including people living with HIV/AIDS) through age 26, if they did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger.

If you are sexually active:

• Use latex condoms the right way every time you have sex. This can lower your chances of getting HPV. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom - so condoms may not give full protection against getting HPV;
• Be in a mutually monogamous relationship – or have sex only with someone who only has sex with you.
• There is no test to find out a person's "HPV status." Also, there is no approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.
• Most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it. Some people find out they have HPV when they get genital warts.
• Women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal PAP test result (during cervical cancer screening). Others may only find out once they've developed more serious problems from HPV, such as cancers.

For more information on HPV, click here.