HPV Facts…What You Should Know
HPV Basics:
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are are about 40 types of genital HPV. Some are harmless, while others cause genital warts or cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, and vulva.
HPV is spread through skin-to-skin sexual contact. You can get HPV without having sexual intercourse. HPV is very common in both women and men, most of whom will have HPV at some point in their lives.
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It is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb).
Cervical cancer is caused by having certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that do not clear up on their own.
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Genital warts usually appear as soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored swellings, usually in the genital area. They can be raised or flat, single or multiple, small or large, and sometimes cauliflower shaped. They can appear on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, on the cervix, and on the penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh. Visible genital warts can be treated with medications or with treatments from your health care provider.
Genital warts are caused by having certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that do not clear up on their own.
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Some types of HPV go away on their own. Other types can cause health problems that can be treated, such as genital warts, changes in the cervix, or cancer. HPV infection can be prevented. The HPV vaccine can keep some types of HPV from living in the body. It works by preventing the four kinds of HPV that cause most cervical cancers and most genital warts. The vaccine does not protect against the virus if you already have it, and it does not protect against all types of HPV that can cause health problems.
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