What is it?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). 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
What to watch for.
- Symptoms show up weeks, months, or years after infection.
- Many people have no symptoms
Some types cause genital warts:
- Small, bumpy warts on the sex organs and anus
- Itching or burning around the sex organs.
- After warts go away, the virus sometimes stay in the body and warts come back
Some types cause cervical cancer in women:
- Cells changes on the cervix can only be detected by a Pap test from a health care provider.
How do you get it?
- Spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus
- Can be spread even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
What happens if you don’t get treated?
- You can give HPV to your sex partner(s).
- Most HPV goes away on its own in about 2 years.
- Warts may go away on their own, remain unchanged, or grow and spread.
- Some types can lead to cervical cancer if not found and treated.
- A mother with warts can give it to her baby during childbirth.
Can it be cured?
No, but there is treatment to help.
Is there a vaccination?
Yes.