HPV
An expert answers HPV questions
Question
I've heard a lot about the human papillomavirus (HPV) in the news lately. What is HPV and why should I be concerned?
Dr. Vivien Brown's Response
HPV, or human papillomavirus, refers to a large family of viruses which are common in the general population. In this family there are some subtypes, or cousins, that are cancer-producing. These are referred to as high risk. In some people, high risk virus subtypes, mostly types 16 and 18, can trigger changes in the cervix, leading to cervical cancer. Some other subtypes, mostly 6 and 11, will trigger genital warts in some people. What is exciting is that we can now immunize people against certain subtypes of HPV, including the ones that can lead to cervical cancer and genital warts. And that means they will be much less at risk for cervical cancer. However, women who have been immunized against HPV should still have regular Pap tests to check for cervical cancer as recommended by their doctor.
HPV Questions
- Are plantar warts contagious to the genital area?
- Can a woman get HPV by having oral sex with a man? How big are the chances?
- Can HPV vaccination reverse the effects of HPV for someone who has already been diagnosed with cervical cancer?
- How do I talk to my daughter about HPV vaccination? I want her to know why it is important but I feel she is too young to discuss this topic.
- How does the doctor test for HPV? If it is so common, why aren't women routinely screened for HPV?
- HPV vaccination is given in 3 doses. At what point of the vaccination process does the vaccine start to work? Is it after the first injection?
- I am a 30-year-old woman and I've had two HPV infections in my life; once at 19 and then at 25. My Pap tests have come back clear for the last 5 years - does this mean that I have immunity to the virus if I get exposed again? I'm currently sexually active with a new partner and I am worried about getting another infection.
- I am a sexually active woman in my early 20s. How would I know if I have genital warts? Are there symptoms I should look for?
- I had genital warts when I was 22 years old and the doctor burned them off. Now that I'm 60, am I at a higher risk for cervical cancer?
- I have been with the same man for 4 years. It turns out that I have HPV and my first outbreak of warts was during my pregnancy (4 months ago), when I discovered 2 to 3 bumps. Since the birth of my daughter, the bumps keep coming back and in larger numbers. How is it that I never had a wart before (it was dormant all this time) and now they keep popping up and getting worse? What can I do to stop these outbreaks?
- I have read that most infections with HPV go away without treatment. If that is true, why should I bother to get the vaccination?
- I have recently been diagnosed with an HPV infection. Is it true that I will for sure pass the infection to every partner that I have unprotected sex with? Also, should I be concerned if I am trying to become pregnant?
- I just got the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine a few weeks ago. Do I still need to get regular Pap tests?
- I recently heard on the news that some of the more severe side effects of HPV vaccines could result in infertility and paralysis. Is this true and is it something I should be concerned about?
- I think I have HPV because my Pap smear results indicated that I had abnormal cells, but I don't have genital warts. Does this mean I have HPV? If so, will I have it forever? If not, how will I know it's gone?
- I was recently diagnosed with high-risk HPV after an abnormal Pap smear. I've read that high-risk is associated with cancer and low-risk HPV is associated with genital warts. Since I have high risk, does this mean I won't get genital warts? If I have protected sex, am I also at risk of giving my partner genital warts?
- I'm a mother of a 10-year-old girl who is not yet sexually active. Do I still need to be concerned about human papillomavirus (HPV)? What can I do right now to protect her from this infection and the complications associated with it, like cervical cancer?
- I've been with my boyfriend for the last 9 months and I know that he's the only one for me. Do I still need to worry about HPV?
- I've read that the vaccine protects against some forms of HPV that cause cervical cancer, genital warts, and other complications. If the vaccine doesn't cover all HPV types, why should my daughter get vaccinated?
- If I get vaccinated, how long will the protection last?
- If I have HPV in the form of external warts, caught through sexual contact without any penetration, can I still get internal HPV types or warts?
- If I've been infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV), does this mean that I'm going to get genital warts and cervical cancer?
- My boyfriend has genital warts, but we always use a condom when we have sex. This should protect me from getting them, right?
- My daughter contracted HPV and developed vaginal and rectal warts. Will getting an HPV vaccine at this point help in any way?
- My daughter is 13 years old and her school is offering a free HPV vaccine program. Why is the vaccine being given to such a young child who's not even sexually active?
- My daughter recently received the HPV vaccination. She is 12 years old and not sexually active. When should she start having regular Pap tests?
- My son was recently diagnosed with genital warts. There seems to be a lot of info about genital warts for women but not for men. Where can my son find more info about his condition?
- My teenage daughter has been vaccinated with the HPV vaccine but she is not yet sexually active. Does she need to start getting Pap tests done regularly, too?
- What are the symptoms of HPV? How do I know if I have it or not?
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An expert answers HPV questions
It seems like there's a lot of information around about HPV (human papillomavirus). How much do you know about HPV, Pap tests, safer sex, and the vaccine? We asked HPV expert, Dr. Vivien Brown, to answer some commonly asked questions about HPV. MORE
Visiting your doctor?
You can talk to your doctor or other health care provider to learn about preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the problems it can cause, like genital warts and cervical cancer. Prepare for your visit by using our HPV: Doctor Discussion Guide
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Question: How common is HPV?
Find this and more answers to common questions about HPV.