HPV (Human Papillomavirus)

HPV (Human Papillomavirus)

Overview

What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can affect different parts of your body. There are over 100 types of HPV, including strains of HPV that cause warts on your hands, feet and face. About 30 HPV strains can affect your genitals, including your vulva, vagina, cervix, penis and scrotum, as well as your rectum and anus. This includes the type of HPV that causes genital warts.

HPV is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. Roughly 14 million people get the infection each year. HPV is so common that most sexually active people who aren’t vaccinated against HPV will become infected at some point in their lives. Most never know they have it.

Some strains of HPV are high-risk and can lead to cancers, like cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers. Early detection (with a Pap smear or HPV screening) and treatment of precancerous cells can usually prevent this from happening.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms of HPV?

HPV that affects your genitals doesn’t usually cause symptoms. When symptoms do occur, the most common sign of the virus is warts in your genital area. Genital warts are rough, cauliflower-like lumps that grow on your skin. They may also appear like skin tags. They may appear weeks, months or even years after you’ve been infected with low-risk HPV. Genital warts are contagious (like all forms of HPV). They can also be itchy and very uncomfortable.

High-risk forms of HPV often don’t cause symptoms until they’ve progressed to cancer.

Are all warts HPV?

Yes. And this can be confusing — especially when you’re trying to understand the difference between the HPV that causes the wart on your finger or genitals and the HPV that may lead to cervical cancer.

The HPV strains that cause warts, including genital warts, are nuisances. After all, no one wants warts, least of all on their genitals. Still, these types of HPV are harmless. HPV types 6 and 11 most often cause genital warts. Other types of HPV cause warts on other parts of your body. These warts are:

Flat warts

Plantar warts

Periungal and subungual warts

All warts are caused by HPV, but not all strains or types of HPV cause warts. The type of HPV that can progress to cancer doesn’t cause warts.

How do you spread HPV?

Genital HPV spreads through skin-to-skin contact during intercourse, oral sex and anal sex. You can get the infection if your genitals — including your vulva, vagina, penis and scrotum, as well as your rectum and anus — come into contact with these same body parts on an infected partner.

It’s possible to spread the virus through hand-to-genital contact, like fingering and handjobs. This type of transmission is less likely, and less is known about it than genital-to-genital contact.

How easy is it to spread HPV?

HPV is highly contagious, in part because it’s transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. You don’t have to exchange body fluids with someone for you to contract the virus or spread it to someone else. You can infect your partner, or your partner can infect you even if no one ejaculates.

Who does HPV affect?

Anyone can become infected with HPV if they have sex or close skin-to-skin genital contact with a partner with the virus. Similarly, anyone with the virus can spread it to their partner during intercourse, oral sex, anal sex or other close genital contact.

If you have HIV, your immune system may have a harder time fighting HPV infections. Men who have sex with men may be at greater risk of contracting high-risk HPV strains that can progress to cancer. In this case, your provider may recommend an anal Pap test. Anal Pap tests don’t test for HPV, but they can test for cell changes that may lead to cancer. Ask your healthcare provider if you should get tested.

Regardless of your reproductive anatomy, it’s important to prevent the spread of HPV by getting vaccinated and by practicing safer sex (correct and consistent use of condoms or dental dams).

HPV in females

In general, HPV poses the greatest risk to females because high-risk HPV can progress to cervical cancer if it’s not treated. Pap smears and HPV tests can detect precancerous cell changes early to prevent cancer in your cervix. HPV can also cause genital warts in females.

HPV in males

HPV poses fewer health risks to males than females. HPV can cause genital warts in males, but most infections clear on their own. HPV can lead to cancers of your penis, anus, head and neck, but these cancers are rare. As a result, HPV tests and Pap tests aren’t generally recommended for males.

What are the complications of HPV?

The most serious complication of HPV is cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common type of HPV-related cancer. Other types of cancer are much rarer. They include:

Anal cancer

Penile cancer

Throat cancer

Vaginal cancer

Vulvar cancer

It’s important to remember that having HPV — even a high-risk strain — doesn’t mean that you’ll develop these cancers.

Genital warts are another complication of HPV. Genital warts can be itchy and uncomfortable and interfere with your daily life. Other than those symptoms, genital warts don’t cause much harm.

Diagnosis 

A healthcare provider will typically be able to diagnose genital warts and other bodily warts just by looking. High-risk forms of HPV don’t cause symptoms, which means you’ll likely learn about an infection through a routine Pap smear or HPV test.

Pap smear: A Pap smear screens for cervical cancer and precancerous cells that may become cancer if left untreated. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by high-risk HPV.

HPV test: HPV tests can detect the high-risk strains of the virus that may lead to cervical cancer if left untreated.

Other procedures that can detect abnormal cells likely caused by an HPV infection include:

Colposcopy: Your provider may order a colposcopy if your Pap smear shows signs of abnormal cells or if you tested positive for HPV. During this procedure, a lighted instrument called a colposcope magnifies your cervix, bringing abnormal cells into view. Your provider may remove the cells and have them tested in a lab for signs of precancer or cancer (biopsy).

Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA): Providers may use VIA if they provide care in areas without access to Pap smears or HPV tests. With VIA, your provider places a vinegar-based solution on your cervix. The solution turns abnormal cells white so that they’re easier to identify.

Treatment

What is the treatment for HPV?

Treatments can’t rid your body of the virus. They can remove any visible warts on your genitals or other body parts, and abnormal cells in your cervix. Treatments may include:

Cryosurgery: Freezing warts or destroying abnormal cells with liquid nitrogen.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP): Using a special wire loop to remove warts or abnormal cells on your cervix.

Electrocautery: Burning warts off with an electrical current.

Laser therapy: Using an intense light to destroy warts or any abnormal cells.

Cold knife cone biopsy: Removing a cone-shaped piece of cervical tissue that contains abnormal cells.

Prescription cream: Applying medicated cream directly to your warts to destroy them. These creams may include imiquimod (Aldara®) and podofilox (Condylox®).

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA): Applying a chemical treatment that burns off warts.

Only a small number of people with high-risk HPV will develop abnormal cervical cells that require treatment to prevent the cells from becoming cancer.

Type of Doctor Department : A Gynecologist,a Dermatologist, Oncologist