Human papillomavirus STD Facts - Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). HPV is a different virus than HIV(http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics) and HSV(http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm) (herpes).
HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.
There is no test to find out a person’s “HPV status.” Also, there is no approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.
Most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it. Some people find out they have HPV when they get genital warts. Women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result (during cervical cancer screening). Others may only find out once they’ve developed more serious problems from HPV, such as cancers.
There is no treatment for the virus itself. However, there are treatments for the health problems that HPV can cause:
Since HPV is caught by most of the people who are sexually active, and since the virus does not have to show any signs such as genital warts or cervical pre cancer, most people who have the virus do not know the HPV is in them. Only after the genital warts and/or the other signs of HPV manifests itself can someone treat the results, of HPV (such as genital warts).
Also, since the HPV can be transmitted through skin to skin contact and not always through sexual contact, HPV can be spread by all forms of skin to skin contact, such as kisses and handshakes. The HPV usually enters into the person through an open cut on the skin of contact.
I believe most STD clinicians would recommend having only 1 monogamous partner and since there are a lot of 'fibbers' in relationships, to always use condoms for all forms of penetrative intercourse, including oral. Also, if you see your partner with some 'wart' like looking formations around the orifices of the body, make sure you have that person get treated for those symptoms. I am not sure how the HPV is 'taken' out of the body since it is a virus but the genital warts and pre cancerous symptoms can be treated. But remember that 'most' sexually active persons have the HPV at one point or another in their lives with or/and without any exhibited symptoms. The HPV may go away but if the person continues to have a sexually active life, he/she probably will contract it again.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). HPV is a different virus than HIV(http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics) and HSV(http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm) (herpes).
HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.
There is no test to find out a person’s “HPV status.” Also, there is no approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.
Most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it. Some people find out they have HPV when they get genital warts. Women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result (during cervical cancer screening). Others may only find out once they’ve developed more serious problems from HPV, such as cancers.
There is no treatment for the virus itself. However, there are treatments for the health problems that HPV can cause:
Since HPV is caught by most of the people who are sexually active, and since the virus does not have to show any signs such as genital warts or cervical pre cancer, most people who have the virus do not know the HPV is in them. Only after the genital warts and/or the other signs of HPV manifests itself can someone treat the results, of HPV (such as genital warts).
Also, since the HPV can be transmitted through skin to skin contact and not always through sexual contact, HPV can be spread by all forms of skin to skin contact, such as kisses and handshakes. The HPV usually enters into the person through an open cut on the skin of contact.
I believe most STD clinicians would recommend having only 1 monogamous partner and since there are a lot of 'fibbers' in relationships, to always use condoms for all forms of penetrative intercourse, including oral. Also, if you see your partner with some 'wart' like looking formations around the orifices of the body, make sure you have that person get treated for those symptoms. I am not sure how the HPV is 'taken' out of the body since it is a virus but the genital warts and pre cancerous symptoms can be treated. But remember that 'most' sexually active persons have the HPV at one point or another in their lives with or/and without any exhibited symptoms. The HPV may go away but if the person continues to have a sexually active life, he/she probably will contract it again.
