According to reports in past years, more than 70 percent of Americans have never heard of human papillomavirus (HPV). However, recent television commercials have made HPV a little more commonly known.

Perhaps it is not as well known as HIV but, nonetheless, it is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The highest rates are found among women ages 18 to 28, but any man or woman who has ever had sex can get HPV.

What is Human Pappillomavirus?
How Can HPV Be Transmitted?
How Do I Know If I Have It?
What Are HPV Treatments?
How is HPV Prevented?
HPV in Men – Signs and Symptoms

What is Human Pappillomavirus?
It is estimated that 20 million people currently are infected with HPV, with an alarming rate of at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women that will acquire genital HPV at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.

There are more than 100 types of HPV, with nearly one-third of them being sexually transmitted. HPV can cause various cancers and warts among men and women. In fact, 10 of the 30 sexually transmitted HPV types can lead to the development of cervical cancer, although these occurrences are rare.

There are two types of sexually transmitted HPVs: high risk and low risk. Both cause abnormal Pap tests, but they each have distinguishing outcomes.

• High Risk – May lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus or penis.
• Low Risk – May lead to genital warts.

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How Can HPV Be Transmitted?
Approximately 6.2 million new cases of sexually transmitted HPV infections are reported each year, according to the American Social Health Association. The HPV virus is spread via skin-to-skin contact and not through the exchange of bodily fluid. Transmission usually is from vaginal, oral or anal contact. Women more likely to have HPV are women who were sexually active at a young age, have different partners and those whose partners have had many partners. Other less commonly known risk factors include smoking, nutritional wellness, uncircumcized males and oral contraceptive use.

There is concern over HPV and pregnancy. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is unlikely for a mother to pass it to her baby. However, all concerns should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

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How Do I Know If I Have It?
Signs of HPV infection may appear weeks, months or years after having HPV, and the infection will clear up on its own. Most often the HPV virus is asymptomatic (no visible symptoms). HPV symptoms that do occur usually are manageable. Most cases of HPV in women are diagnosed through their annual routine Pap tests. An HPV test can be requested that will detect types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer. However, currently there is no test available for men. A regular Pap test should keep you informed. A Pap test detects any cell changes in the cervix, and an HPV test checks for the presence of HPV viruses and is performed during a pelvic exam and Pap test.

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What Are HPV Treatments?
There is no cure for HPV. Treatments are directly related to the conditions it causes (i.e., cervical cancer, genital warts). It is important to ask questions and discuss with your physician which treatments are right for you.

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How is HPV Prevented?
Since there is no cure, it is important to prevent it from occurring. The best way to prevent HPV is by practicing abstinence or having a lifelong monogamous relationship. For sexually active women, it is best to avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone that has HPV. However, another option is condoms. The Center for Disease Control recommends condoms for risk reduction, but they do not eliminate the risk of transmission.

In the past two decades, research has opened new frontiers in the prevention, detection and treatment of gynecologic cancers. Recently, a vaccine, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was found to fight against cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is caused by several strains of a sexually transmitted virus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Infection with these “high risk” strains can lead to abnormal cell behavior and thus lead to precancerous changes (abnormal Pap smears) or cancer.

The cervical cancer vaccine prevents infection with the most common high risk strains of HPV, including strands 6, 11, 16 and 18. Strands 16 and 18 are responsible for causing 70 percent of HPV incidences. Once the first vaccine is given, your physician will follow up with the rest of the series with the second dose at two months and the third dose at six months.

The FDA licensed the vaccine for ages 9 through 26. The vaccine will be available to the public in the summer of 2006. UT Medical Center has not yet released when this vaccine will be available.

"This is a great advancement for women's health," says Dr. Kimberly Fortner, physician at UT Medical Center, "but it is not a replacement for cancer screening." It is recommended that routine gynecologic examinations, to include Pap screening, remain an essential tool in early detection against cervical cancer.

Once you have had HPV, your body will remember that particular type. Therefore, you will not be infected again. However, since there are so many types, becoming immune from one type does not make you immune from all HPV viruses.

Most importantly, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that sexually active women and women over the age of 21 have their annual Pap tests and gynecologic exams. In addition, you should not smoke. The American Cancer Society (2003) states that smoking can increase the chance that abnormal cells might become cancerous. It always is a good idea to discuss this with your healthcare provider who can perform the necessary tests and answer any questions.

With more than 6.2 million new genital HPV cases each year and more than 5,000 women dying of cervical cancer alone each year, it is most important for women to protect themselves in order to maintain a healthy life.

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HPV in Men – Signs and Symptoms

Most men who contract genital HPV will not have any symptoms. There are types of HPV that can cause genital warts. Genital warts are single or multiple growths that appear in the genital area. Men typically have genital warts appear around the anus or on the penis, scrotum (testicles), groin or thighs. Men who have never had anal sex may still get genital warts around the anus. About 1 percent of sexually active men in the United States have genital warts at any one time.

Testing and Screening for HPV in Men
Currently, there are no tests approved to detect HPV in men. The most common problem caused by HPV is genital warts, which usually are diagnosed by visual inspection.

Treatment for HPV in Men
There is no treatment or cure for HPV. There are ways to treat health conditions associated with HPV. HPV is not like any other STD, which needs to be detected early and treated. HPV is a virus that lives in the skin not in your body. Most of the time, HPV will go away on its own.

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Speak to your doctor about any symptoms or for treatments. Call toll free 1.877.UT.CARES (1.877.882.2737) to request an appointment with a doctor.