Human papillomavirus infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide, and causes nearly 100% of all cervical cancers in women.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in North America and around the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 20,000,000 people in the U.S. are infected: approximately 15% of the U.S. population. Each year an additional 6,200,000 people become infected. Health Canada estimates that 75% of Canadians will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime.
HPV infection is spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex or close skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Some types of HPV don’t cause any symptoms, but other types cause genital warts, or lead to cervical cancer or other types of cancers (Human papillomavirus). In rare cases, perinatal transmission from mother to child during childbirth can cause warts in the upper respiratory tract – recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).
It is possible to have more than one type of HPV infection and the CDC estimates that between 5 and 30% of people infected with HPV are infected with multiple types. Infection with one type of HPV does not protect or prevent infection with other types of HPV.
Approximately 90% of HPV infected women become HPV-negative within 2 years with an unfortunate 10% who develop persistent HPV infection. Women with persistent HPV infections are at the greatest risk for developing cervical cell abnormalities and cervical cancer, even years after initial infection. Each year in the U.S. alone, nearly 12,000 women get cervical cancer and 3,700 of these women die. HPV infection is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women.
Other cancers attributed to HPV infection include:
90% of anal cancers
40% of vulvar or vaginal cancers
40% of penile cancers
12% of oral and pharyngeal cancers.
There is no treatment for HPV infection, but the conditions caused by HPV can be treated. Cervical cancer screening programs detect abnormal cervical cells in the pre-cancer stages when it is usually treatable.
In addition, an HPV vaccine is available that targets the four most common high-risk types of HPV, and has the potential to greatly reduce HPV infection and cervical cancers that result as a complication.
Further reading:
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
