HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a group of more than 100 infections that often have no symptoms. About 30% of this group are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that result from contact with an infected partner. HPV cannot be prevented by using condoms, as the virus can be present on the skin around the genitals.
HPV has recently received a lot of attention because some forms of HPV are now known to cause all forms of cervical cancer. HPV is often not noticed by infected people. In some cases, forms of HPV will result in genital warts which may be present on the genitals or around the anus, but often HPV has no symptoms or symptoms so insignificant that they are ignored by infected people.
HPV has no current cure. Oral medications can cause warts to temporarily resolve. However, just like herpes, warts can also come back and need to be removed at a later date. The real goal of treatment is to make the patient aware of the potential risks associated with HPV, since most diagnoses occur in the presence of an abnormal PAP smear test.
The PAP is part of what should be an annual gynecological exam for women. It takes a small amount of tissue from the cervix, which is then examined by a laboratory to determine if there are any abnormal cells. Sometimes abnormal cells occur only once and never recur. In other cases, future Pap tests will show continued spread of abnormal cells that indicate cervical cancer.
When genital warts are not present, PAP is the only way to detect HPV. There is no test for men, which is unfortunate, as HPV can also cause penile cancer. In the absence of available testing, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urges caution with sexual partners. They suggest that if one chooses to be sexually active, he should do so with a long-term monogamous partner.
If one has multiple partners, one increases the risk of contracting HPV. If a partner is aware that he or she has had genital warts or an abnormal Pap smear in the past, it is fair to communicate this to any potential partners to reduce the risk to them. Unfortunately, one cannot be sure that a potential partner does not have HPV as testing methods are limited.
The risk of sexually transmitted HPV is further spread by ignorance. Sexually active teens tend not to realize that any type of contact with another person's genitals can transmit HPV, and that most STDs can be spread without having sex. Lack of access to proper care and counseling should an adolescent become sexually active often leads to adolescents being misinformed about the risk of sexual contact of any kind.
Since HPV is now indicated in a serious type of cancer, scientists are actively working to find better ways to diagnose HPV. There is also research on a possible vaccine at a future date. For now, the medical community is striving to educate the public about HPV, so women can make sure they don't skip recommended annual gynecological exams. The CDC also recommends that everyone who has genital warts or has had contact with someone with HPV discuss this with their doctor.