HPV:
Fast Facts
There are over 100 different types of human papillomavirus, or HPV. Some types of HPV can cause genital warts and other types can cause cancer, including cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis or anus, as well as cancer in the back of the throat.
The “high-risk” HPV types are linked to the development of cancer. The “low-risk” types that cause genital warts are almost never found with cancers.
While HPV can cause disease, most HPV infections do not cause symptoms that are noticeable—so most people will never know they have the virus.
HPV is very common, and nearly all sexually active people will contract it at some point in their lives. About 79 million people are thought to have an active HPV infection at any given time.
Sexually transmitted HPV is spread by direct, skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has an infection. HPV can infect anyone who has ever had a sexual encounter.
HPV can be contracted from one partner, remain dormant (or “asleep”), and then later be unknowingly transmitted to another sexual partner, including a spouse.
Since HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact and not through the exchange of bodily fluids, condoms can reduce–but not totally eliminate–the risk of HPV transmission.
In most cases, the virus is harmless and most people have no symptoms. The body clears most HPV infections naturally. But certain high-risk types can lead to cancer. In the case of cervical cancer, regular screening can catch any abnormal cell changes caused by HPV that can be treated before they lead to cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV causes nearly 37,300 cases of cancer every year in the United States. HPV vaccination can prevent 90% of these cancers by preventing the infections that cause them. HPV infections have already dropped in recent years die to vaccination—HPV infections, genital warts, and cervical pre-cancers have all dropped since the vaccine has been available in the U.S. Learn more about HPV vaccination.
The FDA just approved the Teal Wand, a self-collection device for HPV testing that does not require a speculum exam or even a trip to the doctor’s office. People can collect their own sample at home and send it to a lab for analysis.
The results of large-scale study of HPV suggest that one shot of the vaccine may be enough to protect young people from HPV and related issues like cervical cancer.
You have probably heard that HPV can cause cervical cancer. But did you know that it can also cause cancers of the mouth, tongue, and throat?
The pandemic interrupted our regularly scheduled doctor’s visits and pushed off preventative care like Pap tests.
A new study has found a dramatic drop in the rates of cervical pre-cancers among young adult women. This is great news and further proof that the HPV vaccine is working.
In the U.S., HPV infections are estimated to cause about 37,300 cases of cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent over 90% of these cancers from ever developing.
There’s a new way to screen for cervical cancer. With self-collection, you can take a sample of cells from your vagina. You still have to go to your provider’s office, but there’s no pelvic exam, stirrups, or speculum involved.
For the second year in a row, HPV vaccination rates among teens have not gone up according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
ASHA believes that all people have the right to the information and services that will help them to have optimum sexual health. We envision a time when stigma is no longer associated with sexual health and our nation is united in its belief that sexuality is a normal, healthy, and positive aspect of human life.
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