What is HPV, and what diseases does it cause?

HPV is the name of a virus that is quite common in humans and, while it does not cause problems for most people, it can lead to genital warts and cancer in some.

Many types of HPV affect the skin, mouth, throat, and genital area.

Sexual intercourse is not required for HPV transmission or symptoms. Just as with HIV symptoms or transmission, HPV can be transmitted through contact with genital areas; anal, vaginal, or oral sex; or the shared use of items such as towels that have come into contact with the genital area.

A person infected with HPV may not show any symptoms; therefore, certain special tests must be performed to determine whether individuals are infected with HPV.

The HPV virus does not cause any problems or diseases in most people. In ninety percent of people infected with HPV, the infection regresses within 2 years.

However, some HPV types can lead to significant health problems such as the following:

• Genital warts
• Lichen planus
• Cervical cancer
• Anal cancer
• Penile cancer
• Vulvar cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Certain head and neck cancers