All About HPV

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is estimated that approximately 80-90% of the US population has been exposed to HPV in their lifetime. There are over 200 types of HPV. Some types can cause health problems, including genital warts and cancers. But there are vaccines that can stop these health problems from happening. 

You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex. A person with HPV can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.

If you are sexually active, you can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You also can develop symptoms years after having sex with someone who has the infection. This makes it hard to know when you first got it.

In most cases, (90%) HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. 

You can do several things to lower your chances of getting HPV.

For more information, please visit:

Genital HPV Infection – Fact Sheet