How common is HPV?

Human Papilloma Virus is a very common infection and 60-70% women (and men) get it at some stage in life. It usually produces no symptoms and many women will not even know that they have had the infection. Most (95%) women will shake it off through their immunity, but in some women it may linger on and cause abnormal smears.
 
Is HPV infection sexually transmitted?

HPV infection can be sexually transmitted but can also be acquired by genital contact. Barrier contraception is protective to some extent but not 100% protective. Also, HPV infection can persist in the body for many years and it may not be possible to pinpoint exactly who you got the infection from. HPV infection in fact is so common that it is just a marker of having had sex in the past.
 
Can HPV cause cervical cancer?

HPV does cause cervical cancer, but only in a very, very small proportion of cases. That’s why HPV infection is very common, but cervical cancer is very rare. In most cases of HPV infection, the immune system will get rid of the infection for you. From acquiring HPV infection to getting Cervical Cancer, it takes between 10 to 15 years. This means that if you have regular smear tests every 3 years, the abnormality will be detected much before it becomes anything serious. The risk of getting cervical cancer is extremely low if you have regular smear tests as suggested by your GP.

There are over 100 different types of HPV virus and only 15 of them are High Risk types associated with cervical cancer. The commonest high risk types are 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45.
 
Does the HPV Virus also cause Genital Warts?

The low risk types (6 and 11) of HPV virus can cause Genital Warts. These types carry a low risk of causing cervical cancer.
 
Is it possible to test for HPV?

HPV test can be carried out by a doctor/nurse by taking a swab from the cervix. Self-sampling kits are also available but are slightly less reliable. Routine HPV testing is not recommended under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme and the HPV test is used in certain special circumstances.
 
Is it necessary to treat HPV infection?

It is not necessary to treat HPV infection unless it causes a smear abnormality.
 
What about HPV vaccination?

Some common types of HPV (16, 18, 6 & 11) can be vaccinated against. Gardasil vaccine is quadrivalent and protects against all 4 types. Cervarix vaccine is bivalent and protects against 16 & 18.

Ideally, HPV vaccination should be carried out before sexual debut. However, only 1% of women are exposed to all four types that the vaccine protects against. 99% of women are therefore likely to benefit from this vaccination even after sexual debut.

The vaccine will only protect against 70% of all cervical cancers and cervical screening in the form of smear test is necessary even if you have been vaccinated.