HPV - Human Papilloma Virus Prevention

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are morn than 40 different HPV types that may infect the genital area. About 75 to 80% of sexually active people have been infected with HPV, and this rate is higher among people with HIV.

Oncogenic (cancer-causing) HPV, also called high-risk HPV (especially HPV 16 and 18) can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva in women; penis cancer in men; and anal cancer and some mouth/throat cancers in men and women. Non-oncogenic HPV or low-risk HPV (most commonly HPV 6 and 11) can cause warts in the genital and anal areas. These warts are called condyloma acuminatum.

HPV lives only in skin cells (epithelium) and no other kinds of cells. The only way to get it from another person is through skin-to-skin spread. That usually means contact between genital skin of one person and the genital skin of another person. It is currently believed that HPV is rather easily acquired.

Most infections with HPV will go dormant within 2 years of infection. But in some cases the infection does not go away and is then called chronic. Chronic infection with high-risk HPV may cause dysplasia and could eventually cause cancer.

People living with HIV are more likely to have a persistent infection of HPV. People living with HIV have a higher chance of getting dysplasia compared with people without HIV.