HPV Overview
HPV is an infection that can spread through skin-to-skin contact, often during sex. Some HPV infections have no symptoms and may go away on their own in about two years; others may result in symptoms and become long-term infections.
There are two types of HPV infection. Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts. High-risk HPV infections can result in pre-cancerous cellular changes (called dysplasia) that lead to certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the anus, cervix, vagina, vulva, throat, and penis.
How Common Is HPV?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. The most recent data states that the HPV infection prevalence (how many new or existing infections there are at a given time) in the United States is 42 million.
It is currently estimated that about 80% of women and 90% of men will have an HPV infection at some point in their lives. However, since the introduction of the HPV vaccine, rates of HPV infection have declined.
HPV by Race and Ethnicity
Prevalence rates of HPV infections vary by race and ethnicity in the United States. The lowest rates of HPV infections are among the non-Hispanic Asian populations, and the highest rates are among non-Hispanic Black people.
Because HPV is so common, most people who have sex are at risk for (and at some point will have) an HPV infection. Factors related to an increased risk of HPV infection include:
Having sex for the first time at an early age (before the age of 18)Having multiple sexual partnersHaving one sexual partner that has multiple sexual partners or has an HPV infection
What Are the Mortality Rates for HPV?
Many HPV infections will go away on their own without treatment. Those that persist may cause symptoms or cancer. Low-risk HPV infections (that can cause genital warts) are not fatal. Mortality rates are reported on high-risk HPV-related cancers that can be fatal. However, if diagnosed early, many can be treated.
Screening and Early Detection
For someone who has a cervix, screening for and diagnosing an HPV infection may take place during a regular gynecological exam. A healthcare provider will use a speculum to spread the walls of the vagina open and perform a visual exam to look for any genital warts, including inside of the vagina and on the cervix.
An HPV test may detect high-risk HPV infections. During the test, a healthcare provider will collect a sample of cells from your cervix using a brush or swab. This may occur at the same time you have a Pap test. It is recommended that people with a cervix between the ages of 26 and 65 years old test for HPV at least every five years.
Though people with a penis can be diagnosed with genital warts with a visual exam, there are no recommended routine HPV tests for this population. However, some healthcare providers may give an HPV test to those who are at a higher risk for anal cancer.
Early detection of an HPV infection can help inform effective treatments. Pre-cancerous cells and cancers caused by HPV are more treatable if detected at early stages. HPV vaccines can significantly reduce the risk of genital warts and certain cancers caused by the virus.
Summary
HPV is the most common STI in the United States. Many people who have HPV have no symptoms, and many of those infections will go away without treatment within two years. There are two types of HPV infections that may persist: low-risk and high-risk. Low-risk infections may cause genital warts. High-risk infections are caused by the HPV strains that may lead to certain types of anal, vaginal, cervical, penile, and oral cancers.
The prevalence rates of HPV infections vary by race, ethnicity, age, and sex. Low-risk HPV infections are not fatal. High-risk HPV infections that cause pre-cancerous cellular changes can lead to cancer and be fatal if not treated early. HPV tests are routine for people with vaginas, but not people with penises. For anyone diagnosed with an HPV infection, treatment is most effective with an early diagnosis.
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