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KEY POINTS
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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses that can cause papillomas (skin warts and genital warts) and some forms of cancer. Warts are small growths or bumps on the skin.
There are many types of HPV. Most of the time, HPV does not cause health problems. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, and others cause warts on other parts of the body. However, some types of HPV can cause cancer of the cervix, vagina, or vulva in women, and cancer of the penis in men. In both females and males, HPV can cause cancer of the anus, mouth, or throat.
HPV is a common sexually transmitted disease spread by skin-to-skin contact. Most sexually-active people will get at least one type of HPV at some time in their lives. Genital warts are more contagious and more easily spread than other warts. They may spread to other nearby parts of the body and they may be passed from person to person during sexual activity.
It is not known why some people develop cancer or other health problems after being infected with HPV. You may be at higher risk if you have a weakened immune system from:
You can be infected with HPV without having visible warts or any other symptoms, and symptoms may vary based on what body part is affected:
The warts usually first appear 1 to 6 months after contact with an infected person. You may have many warts or just 1 wart. In men, warts can grow on the tip or shaft of the penis and sometimes on the scrotum, in the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body), or around the anus. In women, warts can grow in the vulva (the folds of skin around the opening of the vagina), on the cervix, inside the vagina or urethra, or around the anus.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms, activities, sexual and medical history, and examine you.
In women, genital warts that are not causing symptoms may be found during a routine pelvic exam and Pap test, which is a screening test done to check for abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix or vagina. An HPV-DNA test can be done at the same time for women age 30 and over to see if the type of HPV causing the warts is the type that may cause cancer. Because some types of HPV can cause precancerous or cancerous changes in the cervix, it is important for women who have had HPV infection to have regular Pap tests to check for abnormal cells. Cervical cancer can be prevented with regular Pap tests and follow-up.
Your provider may put a liquid on the skin to make it easier to see warts or use a magnifying scope to look closely at your genitals. A biopsy may be taken to help make a diagnosis. A biopsy is the removal of a small sample of tissue for testing. There is no test to check for HPV infection in the mouth and throat.
HPV is a common virus and may not need treatment unless it causes warts or other skin changes. If you have an HPV infection on your cervix, your healthcare provider will talk with you about treatment choices to remove abnormal cells or to do more testing and have follow-up visits.
There are several ways to treat warts caused by HPV. Usually the treatment is done in the provider's office. Your healthcare provider may:
You may need a local anesthetic to numb the area before some of these treatments. In some cases, your provider may advise waiting to see if the warts go away on their own. Removal of the warts does not get rid of the virus. You may get more warts after treatment.
Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider. In addition:
The best way to prevent the spread of HPV is by not having sex.
HPV vaccines are available to prevent several types of HPV infection, including those that can cause genital warts and cancer. If you already have HPV, the vaccine will not cure your infection, but it will help prevent infections from other types of HPV.
HPV vaccines are approved for people age 9 to 45 years old. The vaccine is most effective if it is given before a young man or woman has sex for the first time. The best age to give the vaccine to children is at 11 to 12 years of age. It is given as a series of shots over 6 months. The HPV vaccine is usually not given to pregnant women.
Here are some other things you can do to help prevent HPV or its complications: