Papilomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a viral infection that’s
passed between people through skin-to-skin contact. There are over 100
varieties of HPV, more
than 40
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , HPV is the most common sexually
transmitted infection (STI).
It’s so common that most
sexually active people will get some variety of it at some point, even if they
have few sexual partners.
Some cases of genital HPV
infection may not cause any health problems. However, some types of HPV can
lead to the development of genital warts and even cancers of the cervix,
anus, and throat.
Some HPV infections can lead to cancer
Most
HPV infections (9 out of 10) go away by themselves within two years. But,
sometimes HPV infections will last longer, and can cause certain types of
cancers. HPV infections can cause cancers of the:
- cervix,
vagina, and vulva in women;
- penis in
men; and
- anus and
back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils
(oropharynx), in both women and men.
Every year in the United States, HPV is estimated to
cause nearly 35,000 cases of cancer in men and women.
Prevent cancer with the HPV vaccine
CDC
recommends all boys and girls get two doses of the HPV vaccine at ages 11–12.
HPV vaccination can be started at age 9. For the HPV vaccine to be most
effective, the series should be given prior to exposure to HPV. HPV vaccine is
recommended at ages 11–12 to ensure children are protected long before they are
ever exposed to the virus.
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