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PROTECT HUMANPAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV) What is HPV? HPV is the virus that causes genital and anal warts and cervical and anal cancer. There are over 100 types of HPV. The virus may cause wart-like bumps to form on the cock, around the anus/rectum, in and around the vagina, and on the cervix (opening to the uterus). The virus is passed skin-to-skin during anal or vaginal sex. Warts caused by HPV are not the same warts commonly found on hands and feet, and one type of wart can not be passed from one body part (hands and feet) to another (genital area). HPV is considered the most common STD in the U.S. People who have had sex without a condom with more than two partners in their lifetime have likely been exposed to the virus. It's possible to have been exposed to the wart virus months or years before warts appear, or for symptoms never to appear at all after exposure. How many people have it? HPV is considered the most common STD in the U.S. One study estimated that approximately 95 percent of HIV-positive gay men have been infected with HPV. That same study estimated that 65 percent of HIV-negative gay men have been infected with HPV. Those infections were usually in the anal canal or surrounding skin. Why worry about HPV? There are many different types of HPV. Most are harmless - especially the ones causing the warts. There are a few high risk types that can cause changes in the cells of the anus/cervix and could lead to cancer. Talk to your health provider about annual anal (or vaginal) pap smears. What are the symptoms? Not everyone who has the wart virus will have visible warts. Warts may appear as wart-like growths or may be flat and only slightly raised from the skin. They may be single or multiple, small or large. They tend to be flesh-colored or whitish in appearance. Warts usually don’t itch or burn. Sometimes genital warts are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. What is an HPV test like? A complete examination for HPV includes taking a sexual history and examining any symptoms you might be having. Sometimes, warts can be very hard to see, even for a trained clinician. Also it can be hard to tell the difference between a wart and normal bumps. Your medical provider may use a magnifying lens called a colposcope to see smaller warts. A biopsy is not necessary for diagnosing genital warts. This would only be done if the bump is unusual-looking or discolored. Some medical providers put acetic acid (vinegar) on your genital area to check for warts. This would cause any warts present to turn white, making them easier to see, especially if they are viewed through a colposcope. However, the vinegar can sometimes cause normal bumps to be highlighted, so this method of diagnosis is not exact. There are no blood tests available to diagnose HPV. How is HPV treated? Currently, there is no treatment to cure HPV. If you have it, it may live in your body forever. Treating the warts may possibly help reduce the risk of transmission to a partner who has never been exposed to the types of HPV you might be carrying. There are several treatment options available for removing warts, from freezing to cutting them off. At-home, doctor-prescribed creams destroy the tissue of external warts and boost the immune system to fight HPA. The goal of any treatment should be to get rid of annoying symptoms. No particular treatment is best for all cases. When choosing what treatment to use, your health care provider will consider the size, location and number of warts, changes in the warts, your preference, cost of treatment, convenience, adverse effects, and their own experience with the treatments. Over-the-counter wart treatments should not be used in the genital area; they do not work. What can I do if I have HPV? Get checked by a health provider routinely to see if there are any changes over time. Some people with wart virus only have one outbreak, others have recurrences over time. Use condoms anal or vaginal sex. Genital warts are most likely to be transmitted when the warts are actually present, but sometimes they are too small to see with the naked eye. How do I avoid getting HPV? Not having sex is the single best way to avoid HPV and other STDs. If sexually active: • Test for STDs before sex. If sexually active and have more than one partner, test for STDs every three months. • Protect yourself and partner and use condoms consistently and correctly every time for anal and vaginal sex. Condoms do not provide complete protection because the wart virus can be on the skin near the ass/rectum, cock, and vagina –areas not covered by condoms. Condoms reduce the risk of recurrent HPV in those who already have the virus. • Avoid sex with partners who have obvious warts on the penis, anus, or in the mouth. Want to know more? CDC HPV Fact Sheet |
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