HPV: The number one STD in the U.S.

No one likes the thought of having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and yet there’s a prevalent STD that the majority of us is already infected with and likely unaware of it.  That STD would be HPV or human papillomavirus.  Just about all sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives and about 79 million Americans are currently infected with it.  Every year in the United States, 14 million new HPV infections will be found with about 50% of them in 15- to 24-year olds. It is estimated that more than 70% of the general population is infected with HPV.  

What is HPV and how is it spread?

HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses with each virus in this group given a number which is referred to as its HPV type.  HPV is named for the warts (papillomas) that can result from some HPV types which can infect the genital areas of men and women.  Children can also be infected with HPV if they have any kind of child/adolescent experimentation that involves genital contact with someone who is infected.

HPV is spread through skin-to-skin sexual contact and is most commonly spread through oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who has the virus. A person with HPV does not have to be exhibiting signs or symptoms of the virus in order to pass it to someone else.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex with only one person or many since anyone who is sexually active can get HPV.   

Symptoms of HPV

There is no test to discover if a person has HP.  Most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it.  Both men and women can develop genital warts and women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result during cervical cancer screening.  Others may find out they have it once they develop more serious problems from HPV such as cancer. 

What health problems can HPV cause?

As mentioned earlier, HPV belongs to a large group of more than 150 viruses with some causing genital warts and others causing cancer.  Around 360,000 people in the United States develop genital warts each year.  If a person develops a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area that are raised or flat or shaped like a cauliflower, they should go to a doctor to have it diagnosed. 

The types of cancer HPV is associated with are cervical cancer, head and neck cancers, penile cancer and anal cancer.  A person who has HPV has no way of knowing if they will develop cancer or not.  However, most HPV viruses go away on their own without causing health problems. 

How to prevent HPV

There are several ways to reduce your risk of contracting HPV:

Abstinance – This is the only certain way to avoid HPV but not the most practical or realistic for the vast majority of adults.

Practice safe sex with a condom – There is no guarantee wearing a condom will 100% prevent the transmission of HPV but for women whose partner wears a condom, their risk is reduced by 70%.  Remember though, HPV is contracted through sexual skin-to-skin contact and not by bodily fluids.  Even if the penis is covered by a condom, it still leaves some of the genitals exposed which can come in contact with the vagina leading to a transmission of the virus. 

Limit the number of sexual partners – Having a committed lifelong monogamous relationship can greatly reduce your chance of contracting HPV.  However, the greater the number of sexual partners throughout your life will likely lead to contracting HPV. 

Get the HPV vaccine – The HPV vaccine named Gardasil was approved by the FDA in 2006.  It is a safe and effective means of protecting both males and females against disease including cancer caused by HPV when given in the recommended age range of 9 to 26.  By vaccinating with Gardasil before individuals become sexually active, this can reduce exposure to HPV and decrease the incidence of it to begin with.