Yes, in fact, most people (9 of every 10) do clear the infection within two years, often never having symptoms. Once a person has HPV, can he or she get rid of it? Yes, in some people the virus causes changes in cells that lead to the development of potentially fatal cancers. Unfortunately, other than abstinence, none of these methods offers complete protection. To avoid or decrease the chance of exposure, you can abstain from sexual activity, limit the number of sexual partners you have and use condoms. How do I know if my partner or I have been exposed to HPV?īecause most people do not develop symptoms of infection, they do not know they are infected. HPV is also known to cause genital warts as well as cancers of the penis, vagina, vulva, anus and oropharynx. Worldwide, the total number of deaths from cervical cancer every year is more than 300,000. Every year in the United States, approximately 13,000 women get cervical cancer and about 4,000 women die from the disease. HPV causes cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in women. Currently, about 42.5 million Americans are infected with HPV, and every year, about 13 million new infections occur.
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases among both men and women in the United States. Since HPV is so common, if you are intimate with anyone, the best way to reduce your chance of getting infected is to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine. Most people don’t know they have HPV, so they often don’t realize they are spreading the virus. HPV is spread through genital contact, most often, but not always, during sex. These mutations can ultimately lead to cancer. However, in some instances a persistent infection occurs causing the cells to mutate, or change. In most cases, the immune system recognizes the cells that are infected and eliminates them, clearing the infection. When HPV enters these cells, such as in the throat, genital tract or anus, it causes the cells to produce HPV proteins. HPV infects epithelial cells that line mucosal surfaces of the body. This is why it is important to get regular Pap tests. It only means that the cells that line the cervix do not currently show signs of damage caused by a persistent HPV infection. Further, since a Pap test checks for cellular changes and not the presence of virus, a “negative” Pap test does not mean that no HPV infection is present. However, what is important to understand is that many people have HPV infections without symptoms, so they do not realize they are infected. This means that when the immune system “clears” the infection, it is no longer present, so it cannot be spread to someone else. It does not live silently inside of cells like herpes viruses.
This means that when a person is infected, the virus is reproducing in the cells that line the infected area. HPV virus can cause persistent infections. What does it mean when people say an HPV infection “cleared?” Is the infection gone or is it dormant? Can it still be spread to someone else? This is why it is difficult to stop transmission of the virus. During this time, most people do not know they are infected. HPV infections can last up to 24 months before the immune system eliminates the infection.
Unfortunately, no test is available to check for oral HPV at this time. The HPV virus does not travel to other parts of the body, so a genital infection does not automatically mean an oral infection. If a person is diagnosed with genital HPV, does that mean they also have HPV orally, and is there a test for the presence of HPV orally? Unfortunately, there is not an HPV-related test for cells of the anus. So, it is possible that the cells of the anus could have been infected if the HPV exposure that resulted in cervical infection occurred during relations that also involved anal intercourse. The virus does not travel in the body however, people often do not know when they were infected. If a person is diagnosed with cervical HPV, does that mean they also have HPV anally if they’ve had anal intercourse, and is there a test for the presence of HPV anally?Ī person found to have HPV in cells of the cervix may or may not have the infection in cells of the anus. The current vaccine protects against 9 different types of HPV, which protects against the types most likely to cause disease. Immunity to one type of HPV does not afford protection against the other types.
If someone is infected with one type of HPV and their immune system clears it, are they immune to other types of HPV too? For example, if a pregnant woman has HPV, her baby can be born with an HPV infection. Infection-related questions At what age can someone be infected with HPV?Īnyone can be infected with HPV regardless of their age.