STDs: Every Type, Signs, Testing, and Prevention
Common Types Of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, exists in more than 100 different forms ranging from low-risk to high-risk. HPV 6 and HPV 11 are the both low-risk. Various vaccines are available to protect you against certain types.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as sexually transmitted disease (STD).
HPV is the most common STI in the United States. Almost 80 million Americans currently have HPV. About 14 million contract the virus each year.
More than 100 types of HPV exist. Because some are likely to cause more complications than others, the types are categorized as low-risk and high-risk HPV.
Low-risk types can't cause cervical cancer and are treatable. High-risk types can cause abnormal cells to form on the cervix, which can develop into cancer if they're left untreated.
Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of HPV.
If you've contracted HPV, identifying the type you have helps your doctor determine next steps. Some types of HPV clear up without intervention. Other types may lead to cancer. Your doctor will monitor your condition so that if cancer cells do develop, they can be detected early.
HPV 6 and HPV 11HPV 6 and HPV 11 are low-risk types of HPV. They are linked to approximately 90 percent of genital warts. HPV 11 can also cause changes to the cervix.
Genital warts look like cauliflower-shaped bumps on your genitalia. They usually show up a few weeks or months after exposure from a sexual partner who has HPV.
Getting the HPV vaccine may help prevent HPV 6. The vaccine also offers some protection from HPV 11.
For the HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, clinical trials showed up to 89 to 99 percent effectiveness in protecting against HPV types 6 and 11. This significant reduction against contracting these types was noted in 9- to 26-year-olds.
The recommendation is to receive the vaccines prior to becoming sexually active, since the vaccine can't protect against a strain of HPV that a person has already been exposed to.
If you do contract HPV 6 or HPV 11, your doctor can prescribe medications such as imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara) or podofilox (Condylox). These are topical medications that destroy genital wart tissue.
This local destruction of the wart tissue helps enhance your immune system's ability to fight the STI virus. You can apply these medications directly to your genital warts.
HPV 16 and HPV 18HPV 16 is the most common high-risk type of HPV and usually doesn't result in any noticeable symptoms, even though it can bring about cervical changes. It causes 50 percent of cervical cancers worldwide.
HPV 18 is another high-risk type of HPV. Like HPV 16, it doesn't typically cause symptoms, but it can lead to cervical cancer.
HPV 16 and HPV 18 are together responsible for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancers worldwide.
The HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 can protect against a number of types of HPV, including HPV 16 and HPV 18.
HPV testing can be performed for women with a Pap test (commonly known as a Pap smear), which is a screening test for cervical cancer. HPV testing is only available for women, and it can determine if HPV is present. If present, the test can determine whether the HPV is a low- or a high-risk type.
The HPV test isn't recommended as routine screening for women under the age of 30. This is because many women will have some strain of HPV by that age. Most of these will clear spontaneously without intervention.
However, if a person's Pap test showed abnormal cells, the HPV test would be done to assess their risk of more serious conditions, including cervical cancer.
If your test shows you have HPV, it doesn't mean you'll develop cervical cancer. It does mean that you could develop cervical cancer in the future, especially if you have a high-risk type of HPV. Your doctor will review your results with you and discuss treatment or surveillance options.
As mentioned above, 80 million Americans have HPV right now, and 14 million new diagnoses are expected each year. This means almost anyone who is sexually active will get at least one type of HPV during their lifetime.
It's estimated that HPV will go away without treatment in 80 to 90 percent of people who contract the STI.
HPV infection is less common in women over the age of 30, but it's more likely to lead to cervical cancer. This is one of the reasons why it's important to see your gynecologist regularly.
Follow these tips to help prevent HPV:
Get the HPV vaccinationThe HPV vaccine involves two shots, separated by 6 to 12 months, for those ages 9 to 14 years.
For people ages 15 and over, three shots are given over six months.
People between the ages of 27 and 45 who haven't been previously vaccinated for HPV are now eligible for Gardasil 9.
Ask your doctor which vaccine they're giving youThe types of HPV the different vaccines protect against vary:
Since Gardasil 9 protects against a much wider spectrum of HPV strains without a noted increase in side effects or adverse reactions, this choice offers more protection against HPV.
Common side effects of the Gardasil 9 vaccine is irritation at the injection site, including pain, swelling, or redness. Some people may have a headache following the injection.
Other tipsAvoid sexual contact with a partner if genital warts are present.
Use latex condoms every time you engage in sexual intercourse. But keep in mind that HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact — not through exchange of bodily fluids. This means that while condoms may not always prevent the spread of HPV, they could reduce your risk.
If you're a woman, make an appointment with your gynecologist for a cervical cancer screening. You should start screening at age 21 and continue until you're 65.
HPV is very common. Most people with HPV don't know they have an infection and experience no symptoms.
If you have HPV, it doesn't mean you'll develop cervical cancer.
However, knowing that you have a high-risk type of HPV will help you and your doctor come up with a plan to reduce your risk for cervical cancer.
You can do your best to prevent HPV by getting tested for cervical cancer if you're a woman, and by keeping your vaccinations current.
Know the facts
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 13,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Of The Mouth: What You Should Know
Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) occurs when this virus enters a cut or opening in your mouth. Diagnosis is done through a physical exam. Treatment may include removal of the warts, either through surgery or cryotherapy.
Most sexually active people will contract human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lifetime. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. More than 100 types of HPV exist, and more than 40 subtypes of HPV can affect the genital area and throat.
HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact. Most people contract HPV in their genital area through sexual intercourse. If you engage in oral sex, you may contract it in your mouth or throat. This is most commonly known as oral HPV.
Oral HPV often has no symptoms. This means that people don't realize they have an infection and are less likely to take the steps necessary to limit the spread of the disease. It's possible to develop warts in the mouth or throat in certain cases, but this is less common.
This type of HPV can turn into oropharyngeal cancer, which is rare. If you have oropharyngeal cancer, cancer cells form in the middle of the throat, including the tongue, tonsils, and pharynx walls. These cells can develop from oral HPV. Early symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer include:
If you notice any of these symptoms and you know or think you may have HPV, make an appointment with your doctor immediately.
Oral HPV occurs when a virus enters the body, usually through a cut or small tear inside of the mouth. People often get it through having oral sex. More research is necessary to determine exactly how people get and pass on oral HPV infections.
Approximately 79 million Americans currently have HPV, and 14 million people will be newly diagnosed this year alone.
Approximately 7 percent of Americans ages 14 to 69 have oral HPV. The number of people who have oral HPV has increased over the past three decades. It's more common in men than in women.
Approximately two-thirds of oropharyngeal cancers have HPV DNA in them. The most frequent subtype of oral HPV is HPV-16. HPV-16 is considered a high-risk type.
Oropharyngeal cancer is rare. Approximately 1 percent of people have HPV-16. Less than 15,000 people get HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers each year.
Risk factors for oral HPV include the following:
Age is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. It's more common in older adults because it takes years to develop.
No test is available to determine if you have HPV of the mouth. Your dentist or doctor may discover lesions through a cancer screening, or you may notice the lesions first and make an appointment.
If you have lesions, your doctor can perform a biopsy to see if the lesions are cancerous. They'll probably also test the biopsy samples for HPV. If HPV is present, the cancer may be more responsive to treatment.
Most types of oral HPV go away before they cause any health issues. If you develop oral warts due to HPV, your doctor will likely remove the warts.
Treating the warts with topical treatments can be difficult because the warts may be hard to reach. Your doctor may use any of the following methods to treat the warts:
If you do develop oropharyngeal cancer, treatment options are available. Your treatment and prognosis depend on the stage and location of your cancer and whether or not it's associated with HPV.
HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers have better outcomes and fewer relapses after treatment than HPV-negative cancers. Treatment for oropharyngeal cancer can include radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.
Most medical and dental organizations don't recommend screening for oral HPV. Lifestyle changes are some of the easiest ways to help prevent HPV. Here are some tips for prevention:
Vaccination against HPV involves getting two shots spaced six to 12 months apart if you're between the ages of nine and 14. People aged 15 and over get three shots over six months. You'll need to get all of your shots for the vaccine to be effective.
The HPV vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine that can protect you from HPV-related diseases.
This vaccine was previously only available to people up until age 26. New guidelines now state people between the ages of 27 and 45 who have not been previously vaccinated for HPV are now eligible for the vaccine Gardasil 9.
In a 2017 study, oral HPV infections were said to be 88 percent lower among young adults who received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. These vaccines help prevent oropharyngeal cancers linked to HPV.
I Have HPV. What Should I Do?
Got an HPV diagnosis? Don't panic. Here's everything you need to know about the extremely common virus.
HPV stands for human papillomavirus. There are over 100 different types of HPV. (Cavallini/BSIP/picture alliance) What is HPV? HPV stands for human papillomavirus. There are over 100 different types of HPV. The majority are harmless, but around 14 strains can cause cancer, which is why so much focus has been placed on eradicating the virus over the past three decades. (Also read: India accounts for the highest number of cervical cancer cases. Watch out for these warning signs)
Estimates say around 11.3% of women and 21% of men have HPV globally. Around 604,000 people were diagnosed with cervical cancer linked to HPV in 2020 and 342,000 people died, according to the World Health Organization.
90% of these cases and deaths occurred in low-income countries, where screening capacity and vaccine supply is low.
According to the US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly everyone will get HPV at some point in their lives, so you can rest assured that you are not alone.
What are the symptoms of HPV?The vast majority of people with HPV won't experience any symptoms, but a minority will notice genital warts — small growths in the genital region or the mouth.
It's important to know that genital warts are the only clinical manifestation of HPV, and the strain that causes these warts is not the type that causes cancer, says Diane Harper, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan who specializes in HPV and served as an investigator in the clinical trials of the HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervavix.
"The high risk types that go into cancer really don't have any signs or symptoms at all," says Harper. "You have absolutely no idea that you're infected with it…That's what makes it really disturbing when you get the piece of information from your doctor that you tested positive because you're like, where did this come from?"
How do you get HPV?You can get HPV through skin-to-skin contact, generally during sex — even non penetrative. Although a condom helps prevent it, it doesn't fully protect you, because it doesn't cover all skin around the genitals.
With that said, the notion that you can only get HPV from sex is a misconception, Harper says, adding that between 10 and 15% of children are born with the virus. This happens when the mother carries the infection during pregnancy.
"If you've never had sex, it's highly likely you probably won't have had exposure, but it's not impossible," she says.
That's part of the reason people can never truly know the origin of their HPV infection. The other reason is the fact that HPV may not make itself visible immediately after a sexual encounter with an infected person. It is possible that a HPV infection only presents on a test years after exposure.
"For women to develop cervical cancer, they have to be exposed to HPV, but that exposure isn't just from the partner they were with," Harper says. "The partner's partners bring a lot to the bedroom. Men often have a lot of partners, especially early on as they're maturing and going through adolescence…every single one of those partners that they have they bring to the woman that they're now with."
What happens when I have HPV?In the vast majority of cases, HPV won't turn into anything.
"When a woman is infected with HPV, and it's the first time that she's been found to have HPV, I will tell my patients that 90% of women will clear it on their own, which is why we're not testing really young girls anymore," says Harper.
The older a woman gets, the more worrisome HPV can become, but the risk is still small. If you have genital warts, you will be prescribed medication or a cream to heal them, or you can get them removed using different types of therapies, like electrocautery, freezing or laser treatment.
Even when the warts go away, you will remain a carrier of the strain that caused them, which means you can still spread them and they can still come back in the future. Like other strains, warts can come shortly after exposure or months to years after. Or you can carry the strain without ever developing them at all.
But what about cancer?In a minority of cases, HPV can turn into cancer. Only a handful of HPV strains are cancerous.
If you have one of these strains, Harper says you will need to stay in screening to ensure it doesn't develop into cancer. In the rare case it does, it will take years to develop after the initial exposure, which is why screening is so important.
The most common type of cancer caused by HPV is cervical cancer, which occurs in the cells of the cervix, the lower part of the womb that connects the uterus to the vagina. The trademark sign of cervical cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, Harper says. But it's essential to get into screening before these symptoms develop, because by then, there's little doctors can do.
HPV is also thought to cause 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, likely due to strains spread through oral sex. This number has been rising over the course of the past decades. However it's still unclear whether HPV is the only cause or if it's a mixture of HPV and something else, like smoking.
It can also cause other types of genital cancers in men, although this is very rare. The presence of these cancers is why men need to pay close attention when their female partners get an HPV diagnosis and get screened themselves.
Do I need to tell my partner? My past partners?Harper says she only advises people to tell their current partners about an HPV diagnosis, partly for the sake of supporting the woman as she goes through follow-up exams and partly because partners can choose to use condoms to prevent spreading the virus back and forth between each other.
Although condoms can stop the spread of some HPV, Harper says they are not necessary for monogamous couples in which both partners are already infected, and leaves it up to her patients to decide for themselves.
"Condoms will prevent about 60% of HPV transmission. So it's like, is that good enough for you? I think that's a personal decision," she says.
She doesn't advise patients to tell their past sex partners because "unlike something like syphilis or gonorrhea or chlamydia, we have no treatment for it."
If there was a treatment, she says, it would make sense to tell past partners, because they could tell their female partners, who could get tested and treated. But since that doesn't exist, she says it's not necessary.
What about the HPV vaccine?The best way to prevent HPV is by getting the vaccine, but the vaccine doesn't offer 100% protection against the virus, which Harper says is sometimes forgotten.
The HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 is only protective against seven — around half — of the cancer-causing types of HPV. These seven include the strains most likely to cause cancer, 16 and 18, as well as many of the strains that cause genital warts.
"[Patients] need to know that because HPV vaccination is a wonderful bridge to screening but we can't forget about screening because the vaccination isn't 100% coverage," she says, adding that if people think the vaccine they may think they don't need to screen, which is a problem.
With that said, Harper says that she always suggests that people get the vaccine if it's available to them.
I'm old. Should I get the vaccine?Harper says that although mass vaccination of women over 25 will do little to eliminate cervical cancer at a population level, she still suggests it on a personal level if a woman wants to invest in it.
"The way the vaccine works is it grabs onto that little HPV particle and won't let it go into the cell," Harper says. "And so it makes it so it doesn't fit into the receptors and so that part of it becomes very clear that it works to prevent that [spread]."
How do I know if the HPV is gone?By continuing screening, you can keep track of your HPV.
Does an STI test detect HPV?Traditional STI tests don't catch HPV, and although pap smears may detect it, they aren't nearly as accurate as actual HPV tests themselves. These tests are the most sensitive and will detect HPV if you have it.
Will the HPV live in me forever?In the vast majority of cases, the HPV is no longer detectable after a few years. This is when doctors say it has been "cleared". But there are rare situations in which the HPV reoccurs. Harper stresses these situations are seldom but do happen, which means it's impossible to say HPV goes away completely.
Edited by: Fred Schwaller
Comments
Post a Comment