Also called: Also called: Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are common viruses that can cause warts. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Most are harmless, but about 30 types put you at risk for cancer. These types affect the genitals and you get them through sexual contact with an infected partner. They are classified as either low-risk or high-risk. Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts. High-risk HPV can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus in women. In men, it can lead to cancers of the anus and penis.
Although some people develop genital warts from HPV infection, others have no symptoms. Your health care provider can treat or remove the warts. In women, Pap smears can detect changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer.
Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading HPV. A vaccine can protect against several types of HPV, including some that can cause cancer.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines: Questions and Answers
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Prevention/HPV-vaccine
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Prevention/HPV-vaccine-Spanish -
Human Papillomavirus and Genital Warts(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/genitalWarts/
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HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
(Food and Drug Administration, Office of Women's Health) - http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/hpv.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/Spanish/hpv-Spanish.html -
Human Papillomavirus Infection(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp073.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://acog.org/publications/patient_education/sp073.cfm
- HPV Data May Aid Vaccine's Effectiveness(03/24/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82079.html
- Anal HPV Infection Clears Quickly in Women(03/16/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81777.html
- FDA Approved First DNA Test for Two Types of Human Papillomavirus(03/13/2009, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW01974.html
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Molecule Provides Clues about How Infection with Human Papillomavirus May Lead to Cancer(03/03/2009, National Cancer Institute) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nci-03.htm
- Circumcision May Protect Men From Genital Warts(02/20/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80785.html
- HPV(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hpv/test.html
- Thinking about Testing for HPV?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_Thinking_About_Testing_for_HPV.asp
- Abnormal Pap Test Results(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZCUC0887C&sub_cat=9
- How to Use a Condom(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/condom/condom_overview.cfm
- HPV Vaccine Questions and Answers(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm
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Understanding Cancer Series: HPV Vaccine(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/HPV-vaccine
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/cancer/entendiendo/vacuna-VPH/
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Understanding Cervical Changes: A Health Guide for Women(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcervicalchanges
- HPV Support Groups(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_community.cfm
- HPV (Human Papillomavirus): Cervical Dysplasia Questions and Answers(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_hpv_dysplasia.cfm
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Human Papillomaviruses and Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV-spanish
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Laryngeal Papillomatosis(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/laryngeal.asp
- Learn about HPV: HPV in Relationships(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_learn_relationships.cfm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Papillomavirus Infections(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Papillomavirus+Infections%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Photodynamic therapy of virus-associated precancer and early stages cancer of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19356666&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: HPV vaccination in Italy: perspectives after 1-year experience. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19350958&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: HPV screening for cervical cancer in rural India. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19339719&tool=MedlinePlus
- HPV -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(papillomavirus+infections[majr:noexp]+OR+papillomavirus+vaccines[majr]+OR+epidermodysplasia+verruciformis[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Sexual Health Glossary(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_glossary_A_D.cfm
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
- American Social Health Association - http://www.ashastd.org/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of STD Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- HPV (Human Papillomavirus): Fast Facts(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_hpv_facts.cfm
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Vaccine against Genital Warts and Cervical Cancer(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/stds/hpv_vaccine.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/enfermedades/hpv_vaccine_esp.html
- HPV and Men(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-and-men.htm
- Cervical Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cervicalcancer.html
- Genital Warts - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/genitalwarts.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Sexual Health Issues - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sexualhealthissues.html
The primary NIH organization for research on HPV is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
HPV - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/hpv.html