How is HPV spread?
- Buttocks and thighs
- Anus
- Mouth
- Urethra (the tube that allows urine to drain from the bladder to the outside)
The HPV infections are often transmitted sexually or through other skin-to-skin contact. The best way to be safe of HPV infection is vaccination. Vaccination can help protect patients against the strains of HPV mostly the one which cause genital warts or cervical cancer. Sometimes patients get oral and upper respiratory tract infections or warts through oral sex.
If you are a sexually active woman, you should get tested for chlamydia regularly, if you are:
- Younger than 25 years old.
- 25 years and older with risk factors, such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.
How will you know if you have HPV?
Mostly the body’s immune system helps in protecting against the HPV infection before the warts appear. The warts can appear as genital warts, common warts, plantar warts, flat warts etc.
- Genital Warts – The warts appear on the genital area of men and women like flat lesions, small cauliflower-like bumps or tiny stem like protrusions. Genital warts may rarely cause discomfort or pain but they may itch or feel tender.
- Common warts – The warts may rough, raised bumps and usually occur on the hands and fingers. These warts can be painful or susceptible to injury or bleeding.
- Plantar warts – These warts generally appear hard, grainy growths. These usually appear on the heels or balls of your feet and might cause discomfort.
- Flat Warts – These appear as flat-topped, slightly raised lesions. Warts in children usually appear on the face and men tend to get them in the beard area. In women they appear on legs.
What happens if you don’t get treated?
HPV can cause cervical and other cancers, including cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after you gets HPV. Genital warts and cancers result from different types of HPV. People with weak immune systems (including those with HIV) may be less able to fight off HPV. They may also be more likely to develop health problems from HPV.