Download HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) HPV is a common sexually

HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV)
HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection which is contracted by approximately 5.5 million
American women and men every year. At least 20 million Americans are already infected by
the virus, which can cause such problems as genital warts and cervical cancer. This pamphlet
will explain: different types of HPV, symptoms and diagnosis, what to do if you have HPV, and
how to prevent the spread of HPV infection.
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS
This virus has more than 100 subtypes. Some of these can cause warts on various body parts,
such as your hands. Others are sexually transmitted infections (known as STIs or STDs) that
can cause genital warts, and can also put women at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
All types of HPV are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. The type of contact that causes
genital infections usually occurs during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. The areas that are most often
affected are the genitals, anus, and sometimes the mouth or tongue.
Although millions of people are probably infected with HPV, very few of them will go on
to develop warts or cervical cancer. In fact, changes caused by this virus often go away on their
own. Since HPV rarely causes symptoms and most infections are unnoticed, it is likely that
even more people have HPV than we think.
GENITAL WARTS
Condyloma accuminate, or genital warts, can occur in both women and men. They are also
caused by genital HPV infection, usually by virus types that are at lower risk for causing cervical
cancer. Six to 18 weeks after contact with the virus, 2/3 of people who become infected will
develop raised cauliflower-like warts. These growths are benign (noncancerous) and usually
not painful, but are easily spread. They sould be diagnosed and treated by a physician.
Treatment
Options for the treatment of genital warts include freezing (with liquid nitrogen), chemical
burning (with trichloroacetic acid, known as TCA), medical therapy (with podphyllin or
imiquimod), and surgical or laser removal. It should be noted that even after treatment some
virus may remain in the skin and can cause the warts to return. It is also true that these
therapies work less well in smokers, diabetics, pregnant women, and immunosuppressed
people.
CERVICAL CANCER
Genital HPV is divided into two groups, those that put women at low risk and those that put
women at high risk of developing cervical cancer. It is important to remember that people
cannot tell that they are infected by the way that they look or feel. Most infected women will
never know that they have HPV until they have an abnormal pap smear, and most men will
never know that they are infected at all.
Diagnosis
Pap smears are usually done once a year. This simple test screens for the presence of
abnormal cells on the cervix. An abnormal pap smear can be caused by a minor infection, by
having a yeast infection, or by pre-cancerous or cancerous changes to the cervix. If abnormal
cells are found, the laboratory may perform an HPV test to determine if a woman is at risk for
developing cervical cancer. This helps her doctor to treat her and to prevent cervical cancer in
the future.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for HPV. However, if a pap smear is abnormal, additional testing
is needed. This may include a repeat pap, a colposcopy, and/or a LEEP (loop electrosurgical
excision procedure). In addition, pap smears should be followed closely at least once a year to
continue to screen for cervical cancer.
PREVENTION
The prevention of HPV transmission, as with all sexually transmitted diseases, includes waiting
as long as possible before having sex, decreasing the number of sexual partners, and practicing
safer sex.
Specific goals include:
Abstinence:
• the only way to be sure that you won’t get an STD is to avoid having sex
If you decide to have sex:
• limit your number of sexual partners
• talk about STDs with your partner and get tested before you have sex
• use condoms and spermicidal jellies
• avoid contact with visible sores or warts
These goals will help to decrease STD transmission in general. However, it is important to
remember that even if warts are covered by a condom, other parts of the skin may be infected
as well, making it harder for you to protect yourself. Also keep in mind that many types of HPV
are asymptomatic, so there is usually no way for you or your partner to know if you have HPV.
TERMS
Cervix: The lower edge of the uterus which is visible at the top of the vagina.
Colposcopy: A technique in which a physician uses a special magnification device
(colposcope) to examine the cervix for suspicious-looking cells.
Condyloma accuminata: Genital warts.
High-risk HPV: Subgroups which put a woman at higher risk for developing cervical cancer.
Low-risk HPV: Serotypes which put a woman at a lower but significant risk for developing
cervical cancer. Some of these also cause genital warts.
LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure): A way to remove pre-cancerous and
cancerous tissue from the cervix using an electric wire loop. You are given numbing
medicine before the procedure is performed in the office.
Pap smear: A quick, easy office test where cells are scraped fro the cervix and sent for testing.
These cells are analyzed in a laboratory to see if they are normal of abnormal. An abnormal
result may indicate that a woman has an infection, pre-cancer, or cancer of the cervix.
RESOURCES
National Institutes of Health
• information about HPV and links
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdhpv.htm
American Social Health Association
• listing of support groups by state
http://www.ashastd.org/hpvccrc/hpvref.htm