What is HPV

Persistent high-risk HPV infection has been identified as a major risk factor for cervical cancer. In China, the infection rates of high-risk HPV, such as HPV16, 18, 52, and 58, increase with the severity of cervical lesions [5, 7]. The overall HPV infection rate (21.3%) of this study was significantly different from that of Yangqu (8.9%), Xinjiang (14.0%), and Shandong (28.4%) but similar to that of other regions in Southeast China, such as Hangzhou (22.4%) and Jiangxi (22.5%) [15,16,17,18,19]. Many factors, including different economic conditions, cultural diversity, HPV vaccine awareness and lifestyles, might be the reasons for the differences in HPV infection rates in different geographical regions [7, 20, 21]. In this study, HPV52 was the most prevalent HPV type, followed by HPV58, 53, 16, 81, 39, 61, and 18. It is worth noting that the Gardasil 9-valent prophylactic vaccine approved for marketing in China in 2016 mainly targets HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. Therefore...

Among the more remarkable legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic is how quickly federal regulators, the health care industry, and consumers moved to make at-home testing a reliable tool for managing a public health crisis. But that fast-track focus is missing from another, less publicized epidemic: an explosion in sexually transmitted diseases that can cause chronic pain and infertility among infected adults and disable or kill infected newborns. The disparity has amplified calls from researchers, public health advocates, and health care companies urging the federal government to greenlight at-home testing kits that could vastly multiply the number of Americans testing for STDs. Online shoppers can already choose from more than a dozen self-testing kits, typically ranging in price from $69 to $500, depending on the brand and the variety of infections they can detect. But, except for HIV tests, the Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved STD test kits for use outside a medical setti...

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here's our process. Warts are noncancerous tumors that develop due to human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Cryosurgery, or cryotherapy, is a common way to remove them. It involves freezing off the targeted cells and tissues. There are several different types of wart, and various strains of HPV can cause them. This virus passes on through skin-to-skin contact . Most warts are painless and harmless, and many go away on their own after a few weeks or months , though they can last years. But depending on the location, size, and type of a wart, a person may wish to have it removed. In this case, cryosurgery is an option. A dermatologist can perform it, or, for a smaller wart, a person might try an over-the-counter freezing kit. In this article, we explore cryotherapy, including the procedure, the reasons that people have it, and how effective it is. A dermato...

Chlamydia is a curable sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial STI in the United States. In 2018, there were approximately 4 million chlamydial infections among people ages 15–39 years. Because this STI is a bacterial infection, it's treated with antibiotics. The two most common antibiotic treatments for chlamydial infections are azithromycin and doxycycline. Azithromycin is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved antibiotic used to treat genital chlamydia. It works to cure chlamydia by stopping the bacteria from multiplying. Adults and adolescents who are experiencing symptoms associated with chlamydia can take azithromycin for treatment. Though many people with chlamydia are asymptomatic (they don't show symptoms), common symptoms can include: abnormal discharge pain while urinating pain in the lower abdomen (in those assigned female...

Reductions in Certain Types of HPV-Related Cervical and Non-Cervical Diseases in Women and Men Observed with Real-World Use of Merck's GARDASIL® in Systematic Literature Review of 138 Studies November 7, 2022 6:45 am ET RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that an updated systematic literature review examining the global impact and effectiveness of HPV vaccination using GARDASIL [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] was published online in the journal Expert Review of Va...

Genital warts treatments include topical medications, such as creams and ointments, and surgical procedures, including freezing, excision, and laser removal. Genital warts occur due to the human papillomavirus (HPV), for which there is no cure, so these warts may return after treatment. Genital warts, also called condylomata acuminata, are warts that appear as small bumps on or near the genitals or anus. This article discusses treatments for genital warts, including medications, surgical procedures, and home remedies. About 400,000 people in the United States get genital warts each year. HPV types 6 and 11 cause 90% of all cases of genital warts. Around 30% of genital warts will go away by themselves within 4 months of appearing, and around 90% of HPV infections will resolve themselves within 2 years of infection. However, this virus can have a latency period, meaning symptoms may appear or reoccur months or years after the initial infection. A person may contract HPV and develop gen...

An abnormal Pap smear means some percentage of your cervix cells appear abnormal in shape or size.  In most cases, an abnormal Pap smear does not indicate cancer and is in fact caused by HPV.  If you have an abnormal Pap result, your doctor may order further testing like a biopsy.  A Papanicolaou test, commonly called a Pap smear, tests for abnormal cells in your cervix  — the area connecting the uterus to the vagina — and determines if these cells may be precancerous (called dysplasia) or cancerous. The goal of a Pap smear is to detect abnormalities before they become cancer. It may take up to three weeks to get your Pap smear results back. An abnormal Pap smear result indicates some cervical cells appear irregular. But, that doesn't always mean cells are cancerous. E...

Among the more remarkable legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic is how quickly federal regulators, the health care industry, and consumers moved to make at-home testing a reliable tool for managing a public health crisis. But that fast-track focus is missing from another, less publicized epidemic: an explosion in sexually transmitted diseases that can cause chronic pain and infertility among infected adults and disable or kill infected newborns. The disparity has amplified calls from researchers, public health advocates, and health care companies urging the federal government to greenlight at-home testing kits that could vastly multiply the number of Americans testing for STDs. Online shoppers can already choose from more than a dozen self-testing kits, typically ranging in price from $69 to $500, depending on the brand and the variety of infections they can detect. But, except for HIV tests, the Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved STD test kits for use outside a medi...

Gonorrhoea bacteria (pictured) have developed resistance to some antibiotics. Credit: SPL A health department in the United States has become one of the first to recommend that people who are at high risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) take a preventive dose of antibiotics after unprotected sex. Clinical trials have shown the strategy can reduce infections such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea. But some researchers worry it will contribute to antibiotic resistance. Last month, the San Francisco Department of Public Health recommended that people at high risk of infection take a dose of the antibiotic doxycycline after unprotected sex to prevent bacterial STIs. Rates of bacterial STIs have been climbing steadily over the past decade, particularly in men who have sex with other men (MSM). "We don't have any tool to reduce the rate of [bacterial] STIs, except asking people to use condoms," including for oral sex, says infe...

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) or herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The condition is a common STI that infects about 600,000 people in the United States every year. Sores on the genitals are usually the first sign of a genital herpes outbreak. Other symptoms of genital herpes can include a foul-smelling discharge from the genitals and flu-like symptoms like fever and swollen glands. This article covers genital herpes symptoms in men, what genital herpes sores look like and where they form on the penis when to see a healthcare provider, and diagnosing and treating genital herpes. Getty Genital Herpes Symptoms in Men Genital herpes symptoms in men can include: Blisters or sores that can break open on the genitals, anus, or mouth A smelly discharge from the urethra (the front of the penis) Flu-like symptoms like body aches, swollen nodes, and fever Tingling ar...