Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. There are many types of HPV. Some types cause genital warts, while other types don't cause any symptoms. More aggressive forms of HPV are connected with cancer of the cervix or, less often, cancer of the penis.

You may not know that your cervix is infected with HPV until a Pap test shows abnormal cells. When you have a Pap test (or "smear"), the doctor scrapes some cells from your cervix and looks at them under a microscope.

HPV is normally transmitted through sexual contact. This includes having oral, vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HPV.

A person who has HPV may not show any signs of the virus, as genital warts often take years to develop. In women, the warts may be on the cervix and therefore not visible.

The doctor rubs a small swab against your cervix and puts the swab in a tube of special liquid. This tube goes to a lab. If the lab finds HPV in the liquid, your doctor will know what HPV type you have.

If the type of HPV you have is a type that causes cancer, your doctor may want to perform another type of test, called a colposcopy. (A colposcope is a special magnifying lens that is used to look at your cervix.) The doctor will cut a small bit of tissue from your cervix and check it for signs of cancer.

At this point, there is not a way to test men for HPV. If you have warts on your penis, talk to your doctor about having them removed and alert your sexual partner that you may have HPV.

Currently, there is no cure for HPV. If you have it, you'll need to have regular and frequent Pap tests, to keep watching for signs of cancer. Your doctor may want you to have Pap tests every 4 to 6 months to check the status of the HPV infection. In many women, HPV eventually goes away on its own without causing any health problems.

Genital warts must be treated by your doctor. Do not try to treat the warts yourself, especially with chemicals you can buy over-the-counter to remove warts that you would find on your hands. These chemicals are not supposed to be used for genital warts, as they can irritate the skin.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved a vaccine in June 2006 that can prevent 4 different types of HPV in young women. The vaccine targets the types of HPV that cause up to 70% of all cases of cervical cancer and about 90% of all cases of genital warts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends girls between the ages of 11 and 12 receive the vaccine, as it is important to get the vaccine before becoming sexually active. The vaccine is approved for girls and women ages 9 to 26.

Studies are currently being done to test to see if the vaccine works for boys and men, and for women over age 26.