Facts

• Ninety percent of healthy people who catch HPV viruses will fight off the infection successfully (CDC).
• Seventy-five percent of sexually active Canadians will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime (hpvinfo.ca).
• If you choose to have sex, the vaccination will help protect against 4 types of HPV viruses that cause 90% of genital warts and 70% of cervical cancers (hpvinfo.ca).
• The vaccine is only available to women (hpvinfo.ca).

How it works

Skin-to-skin contact is the only way to contract HPV. The more sexual partners you have, whether for sexual intercourse or other activities, the higher risk you have for contracting the infection. Both males and females can contract HPV.

Symptoms

Most people who have contracted the virus don’t know they have it. There is “low-risk” HPV and “high-risk” HPV. Low-risk types often come in the form of genital warts, and high-risk are often cancer-causing infections. Most people who have a stable and healthy immune system will fight off both low-risk and high-risk HPV within 2 years of contracting the infection. Therefore, it is important to eat healthy, drink lots of water, exercise and get the appropriate amount of sleep.

Genital warts (low-risk) can come in different shapes and sizes and can appear anywhere between a few weeks or a few months after coming into contact with an infected person. If left untreated the warts may go away, stay in the same condition or get worse. They will not turn in to cancer.

Cervical cancer (high-risk), as well as other cancers related to HPV often do not carry any symptoms so this is why a regular check-up with your doctor is important, whether you are a male or female. Males cannot get cervical cancer but they can get other forms of cancer such as penile cancer and anal cancer (although these are very rare), as well as other complications with their reproductive system.

Diagnosis

Your doctor or a medical professional is the only one who can determine if you have contracted the HPV virus. They will run some tests to determine whether you have the infection or not, and then if so, the appropriate treatment will be given.

Treatment

There is no treatment for the HPV virus itself, but there are treatments for the conditions that it can cause. For genital warts there is medication available or treatments provided by your doctor. For Cervical cancer, there is a better chance if it is treated early before it becomes dangerous to your health and this is why regular pap tests are important. Options for Cervical cancer include (but are not limited to) radiation and chemotherapy. Most conditions associated with HPV have a better chance of being successfully treated if caught early. Remember, it is wiser and safer to use preventative methods as opposed to relying on treatments.

If high-risk HPV is not treated, severe damage and complications to an individuals’ reproductive system may result. This may lead to the inability to have children in the future, or to dangerous cancer that can cause death.

Prevention

The only method that will guarantee you won’t contract the infection is to refrain from sexual intercourse and contact.

There is a vaccine called Gardasil® which is available from a health care professional for females aged 9-26 to help prevent high-risk types of HPV and certain cervical, uterine and vaginal cancers. Condoms are also a good way to prevent any kind of STI. Although it is not one hundred percent assured, it is the best method today to prevent sexually transmitted infections. Remember that because the condom doesn’t cover all of the genitals there is still a chance of contracting HPV.

It is important to have regular check-ups and/or pap tests with your doctor if you are sexually active.

Links

Teens Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
hpvinfo.ca
Gardasil ®