What is HPV (Human papillomavirus)?
HPV (Human papillomavirus) is a common virus that can affect different parts of the body. There are more than 100 types of HPV, including the types that cause warts on the hands, feet, face, etc. About 30 types of HPV affect the genital area, including the vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, and scrotum, as well as the rectum and anus.
HPV, which affects the genital area, is a sexually transmitted infection that is transmitted through skin contact. Although genital warts are usually harmless, some types of HPV are high-risk and can lead to cancers such as cervical cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment can often prevent this condition from occurring.
The most common causes of genital warts are HPV types 6 and 11. Other types of HPV cause:
- Flat warts
- Plantar warts
- Back warts
- Common warts
- Periungual and subungual warts
How common is HPV?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. About 14 million people are infected each year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV is so common that most sexually active people who are not vaccinated against HPV will become infected at some point in their lives. Many people never know they have the virus.
Are all warts caused by HPV?
All warts are caused by HPV, but not all forms of HPV cause warts. The types of HPV that can progress to cancer do not cause warts.
How are HPV and cervical cancer related?
Certain types of HPV (mostly types 16 and 18) can cause changes in the cells of your cervix. This condition is called cervical dysplasia. Your cervix is the opening between your vagina and uterus. If left untreated, cervical dysplasia can sometimes progress to cervical cancer.
If you are under 30, most HPV infections will go away on their own. Once you reach 30, finding HPV during a pap smear (a test that screens for cervical cancer) can determine how often you need to be tested. If you are positive, you may be at higher risk and need to be tested more often.
It is important to have regular pap smears to screen for cervical cancer. However, it is important to remember that having HPV or cervical dysplasia does not mean you will get cancer.
Who does HPV affect?
Anyone who has sex with an infected partner or has close skin-to-skin genital contact can become infected with HPV. Similarly, anyone who has the virus can pass the virus to their partner during sex or other close genital contact.
How does HPV affect women?
In general, HPV poses the greatest risk to women because high-risk HPV can progress to cervical cancer if left untreated. Pap smears and HPV tests can detect precancerous cell changes early to help prevent cervical cancer. Harmless forms of HPV can cause genital warts in women.
How does HPV affect men?
HPV poses less of a health risk to men. HPV can cause cancers of the penis, anus, head, and neck, but these cancers are rare. However, if you are HIV positive, your immune system may have a harder time fighting HPV infections. If you are a homosexual, you may be at higher risk of contracting high-risk HPV types that can lead to cancer. In this case, your doctor may recommend an anal pap test. Anal pap tests do not test for HPV, but they can detect cell changes that can lead to cancer.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
HPV that affects your genital area usually doesn’t cause symptoms. When symptoms do appear, the most common sign of the virus is warts. Genital warts are hard, cauliflower-like bumps that grow on your skin. They can appear weeks, months, or even years after you’ve been infected with HPV. Genital warts are contagious (like all forms of HPV) but are harmless. High-risk forms of HPV usually don’t cause symptoms until they turn into cancer.
What types of cancer can HPV cause?
Cervical cancer is the most common type of HPV-related cancer. Other types of cancer are much rarer. These types of cancer include:
- Anal cancer
- Penile cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Vulvar cancer
As with cervical cancer, it’s important to remember that having HPV—even a high-risk type—doesn’t mean you’ll develop these cancers.
How is HPV transmitted?
HPV is highly contagious because it is spread in part through skin-to-skin contact. You and your partner don’t need to exchange body fluids to catch the virus. Genital HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact during sexual intercourse. You can become infected if your genitals (including your vulva, vagina, cervix, penis and scrotum, as well as your rectum and anus) come into contact with the same body parts of an infected partner.
How is HPV infection diagnosed?
Your doctor can diagnose genital warts during an exam. High-risk forms of HPV don’t cause symptoms. That means you can get the information through a routine pap smear or HPV test. Tests for HPV include:
Pap smear: A Pap smear screens for cervical cancer and precancerous cells that can turn into cancer (cervical dysplasia) if left untreated. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by high-risk HPV.
HPV test: HPV tests can detect high-risk types of the virus that can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated. There is no test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to detect HPV in the vulva, vagina, penis, scrotum, rectum, or anus.
Colposcopy: If your Pap smear shows signs of abnormal cells or your HPV test result is positive, your doctor may order a colposcopy. During this procedure, a lighted instrument called a colposcope magnifies your cervix to make the abnormal cells visible. If your doctor deems it necessary, a sample of these cells can be taken for biopsy.
Visual examination with acetic acid: This method is available in geographic areas that do not have the resources for regular Pap smears or HPV tests. With this method, your doctor applies a vinegar-based solution to the cervix. The solution turns the abnormal cells white, making them easier to detect.
Can HPV be prevented?
No. There is no cure for HPV. However, your immune system is incredibly effective at getting rid of the virus for you. Most HPV infections (around 90%) clear up within a year or two. HPV can help reduce your risk by:
HPV vaccination: The HPV vaccine is the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer. The vaccine works best when given before people are exposed to the virus. For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that girls between the ages of 9 and 14, most of whom are not yet sexually active, get the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. Women who have not been vaccinated before should also get the vaccine.
Regular screening and testing: Early detection of HPV and abnormal cells prevents cervical cancer. You should start having regular pap smears as soon as you start having sex. Depending on your results, you may need to have pap smears every 1 to 3 years or more. Between the ages of 30 and 65, you may need only routine pap smears and HPV tests, or a combination of both.
Safe sex: Condoms are less effective at preventing HPV than they are at protecting against sexually transmitted infections spread through genital fluid. However, using them correctly every time you have sex can reduce your risk of HPV infection.
Inform your partner: Tell your partner if you have HPV so they can get tested. You may need to abstain from sex while you are being treated for genital warts or high-risk forms of HPV.
FAQ ABOUT HPV AND HPV VACCINE
Is HPV contagious for life?
You are contagious as long as you have the virus, whether you have symptoms or not. For example, even if your genital warts have disappeared, you can still spread HPV if the virus is still in your body. Once your immune system has destroyed the virus, you are no longer contagious.
Does HPV infection affect pregnancy?
Since the virus can affect the expectant mother and cause changes in the cells of the cervix, pregnant women who test positive for HPV should be screened for cervical cancer.
How safe and effective is the HPV vaccine?
The vaccine is very safe and highly effective (97%) at stopping HPV-16 and HPV-18, the types that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases. Vaccines that protect against HPV-6 and HPV-11 are almost 100% effective at stopping genital warts.
The HPV vaccine has been rigorously tested. It has been administered to more than 270 million people worldwide since 2006.
Are there any side effects of the HPV vaccine?
The side effects of the HPV vaccine are mild and similar to those of many vaccines. These include: pain, redness or swelling in the arm where the shot was given, fever, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint pain.
How many doses of HPV vaccine are needed?
As of the end of 2022, WHO recommends the following doses:
- One or two doses for girls ages 9 to 14
- One or two doses for girls and women ages 15 to 20
- Two doses, six months apart, for women over 21
Does the HPV vaccine protect against other cancers?
The vaccine also protects against anal, mouth, throat, head and throat cancers in men and women.
Can men get the HPV vaccine?
Some countries are expanding the vaccine to boys, as they are at particular risk of contracting HPV and can prevent them from spreading it to women. However, WHO has recommended that girls be given priority because of the link to cervical cancer.
Can you get HPV from the HPV vaccine?
No, the vaccine is made from virus-like particles and is not contagious. Therefore, it cannot give you HPV.
Sources:
- WHO (World Health Organization)
- NHS (UK National Health Service)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Cancer Institute
- Cleveland Clinic
- Mayo Clinic