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HPV
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Sexual Health Issues

HPV

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of common viruses that can lead to genital warts or various cancers, though most infections are cleared by the immune system.

What is HPV?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 200 related viruses. Some are spread through sexual contact. Most people have been exposed to HPV; usually, your immune system controls the infection, and it goes away on its own. However, some infections require treatment.

There are two categories of sexually transmitted HPV:

  • Low-risk HPV: Can cause warts on or around your genitals, anus, mouth, or throat.
  • High-risk HPV: Can stay at the cervix for many years, leading to cell changes that may become cancer if not screened and treated.

High-risk HPV can cause various cancers, including cervical, anal, oropharyngeal (throat), vulvar, vaginal, and penile cancers.

Risk & Symptoms

HPV infections are very common; nearly all sexually active people are infected soon after they become sexually active. Some people get warts from low-risk infections, but other types have no symptoms. If a high-risk infection lasts for many years and causes cell changes or cancer, symptoms may develop depending on the part of the body affected.

Diagnosis

Health care providers can usually identify warts by looking at them. For cervical cancer prevention, screening is essential:

  • Cervical cancer screening: Women may have Pap tests (Pap smears), HPV tests, or both to find precancerous changes.
  • Colposcopy: Your provider may suggest this to check for abnormal cells.

Treatment

An HPV infection itself cannot be treated, but the conditions it causes can be managed:

  • Warts: Medicines can be applied, or a provider can freeze, burn, or surgically remove them.
  • Cell changes: Treatments may include topical medicines or various surgical procedures.
  • HPV-related cancers: These are generally treated the same way as cancers not caused by HPV, though oral and throat cancers may have different options.

Prevention

Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading HPV. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

Vaccines can protect against several types of HPV, including those that cause genital warts and cancer. Vaccines provide the most protection when administered before exposure to the virus, ideally before becoming sexually active. Ask your provider about vaccination for your child or yourself if you are over age 26.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Testing positive for high-risk HPV means you carry a viral strain that increases the long-term risk of cellular changes, not that you currently have cancer. In most individuals, the immune system suppresses or clears the virus over one to two years. A positive result simply prompts closer surveillance, such as reflex cytology (Pap smear) or colposcopy, to catch and treat abnormal precancerous cells long before malignancy develops.
There is currently no FDA-approved routine screening test for HPV in men. Most men carry the virus without ever developing symptoms or health problems, naturally clearing it over time. However, high-risk strains can occasionally lead to penile, anal, or oropharyngeal cancers, while low-risk strains can cause genital warts. Men should consult a doctor if they notice unusual growths, sores, or persistent throat discomfort.
Yes. While the HPV vaccine is routinely recommended between ages 9 and 12, clinical guidelines permit catch-up vaccination through age 26. For adults aged 27 to 45 who were not fully vaccinated, the vaccine is approved and can be administered based on shared clinical decision-making. Although it does not cure existing strains, it still confers protection against high-risk strains to which you have not yet been exposed.
Condoms significantly lower the risk of HPV transmission and protect against other sexually transmitted infections, but they do not provide 100 percent protection. Because HPV is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, the virus can infect areas not covered by a condom, such as the vulva, scrotum, groin, or perianal region. Vaccination remains the most reliable preventative measure.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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