WHAT IS HPV?

Human Papillomavirus: What You Need to Know About It

What is HPV?

It is also called Human Papillomavirus. It affects both men and women. HPV are common viruses that can cause genital warts. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Most are harmless, but about 30 types put you at risk for cancer. These types affect the genitals. You get them through sexual contact with an infected partner. Genital HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact, not through exchange of bodily fluid. There are low-risk and high-risk viruses. Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts. High-risk HPV can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus in women. In men, it can lead to cancers of the anus and penis.

What are the symptoms of HPV and who has it?

Some people develop genital warts from HPV infection. Others have no symptoms. Pap smears can detect changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer. About 5.5 million new genital HPV cases occur each year. This is about one-third of all new sexually transmitted disease infections. About 20 million people--men and women--are thought to have an active HPV infection at any given time.

What is the treatment for genital warts?

Your health care provider can treat or remove the warts. Warts can be treated with medication applied to the area or surgery to remove them. The type of treatment depends on the location of the warts.

What is the treatment for HPV leading to cancer?

Cervical cancer takes a long time to develop. HPV causes cells on or around the cervix to become abnormal. In some cases, these cells may progress to precancer. This means the changes in the cell may rarely lead to cancer. However, most of the time abnormal cells go away without treatment. A Pap test, sometimes called cervical cytology screening, is the best way to detect cell changes that may be an early sign of precancer in the cervix.

Very few women with HPV develop cancer of the cervix. Talk to your doctor if you think you are at risk.

What if you are pregnant and get HPV?

Cervical dysplasia may increase with some pregnant women. This may be due
to hormone changes during pregnancy, but this has not been established.

Even if a woman has a severely abnormal Pap smear during pregnancy, many health care providers will not do any treatment. They will just monitor the cervix closely with a colposcope during the pregnancy. A colposcope allows the doctor to examine the cervix.

A few weeks after delivery of the baby, the health care provider will look at the cervix again and do another Pap smear or another biopsy. Many times the cell changes will have spontaneously resolved, and no treatment will be necessary.

The types of HPV that can cause cell changes on the cervix and genital skin have not been found to cause problems for babies.

What about anal dysplasia and anal cancer?

Anal cancer is a rare occurrence that has been strongly linked to "high-risk" types of HPV.

Abnormal cell changes in the anal area are more common among individuals who engage in receiving anal sex.

It has, however, been reported in some females who have a history of severe cervical dysplasia.

Treatment is available for anal dysplasia and anal cancer.

Is it normal to feel upset about HPV?

Yes, it's very normal. Some people may feel ashamed, fearful, confused, less attractive, or less interested in sex. They may feel angry at their sex partner(s), even though it is not always possible to know when or from whom the virus was spread. Some people are afraid that they may get cancer, or that they may never have a sex partner again. All these feelings are normal. Go to someone you can trust and talk about these feelings. Go to an HPV support group. Here is an address where you may look up one in your state: http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_community.cfm.

How do I prevent this from happening to me or my sexual partner again?

*Don't have sex with anyone.
*Have sex with one partner who has had sex only with you.
*Anyone who currently has abnormal cell changes, should not have
sexual activity until after the cells have been treated.
*Condoms (rubbers) used correctly from start to finish each time you
have sex, may help provide minimal protection, but only for the skin
covered by the condom. Condoms do not cover all genital skin, and so they do
not give 100 percent protection.

The best prevention is the vaccine. It will not work for those already exposed to HPV, but it very effective for those never exposed. A routine vaccination against HPV is recommended for all girls 11-12 years of age. The vaccination series can be started in girls as young as 9 years of age.

Catch-up vaccination is recommended for females 13-26 years of age who have not been vaccinated previously or who have not completed the full vaccine series, whether or not they have had sexual intercourse or previous evidence of HPV infection.

Women who are breastfeeding can receive the HPV vaccine. Immunocompromised women, from disease or medication, can receive the vaccine. Pregnant women should not receive the vaccine since data on vaccination during pregnancy is limited.

People with a history of hypersensitivity to yeast or to any vaccine component should not receive this vaccine.

People with minor illnesses; for example, diarrhea, or mild upper respiratory tract infections, with or without fever, can receive the vaccine. However, those with moderate or severe acute illnesses should be deferred until after the illness improves.

For further information about the social impact of HPV and how to talk to your partner about it, go to: http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_learn_relationships.cfm