The human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the country, affecting about 79 million people.
But despite it's prevalence, there are many misconceptions about who gets HPV, how they get it, and what a diagnosis means.
Here are the most common myths and facts about HPV.
Myth 1: Only Women Get HPV!
Fact Men get HPV, too.
Most sexually active men and women will have at least one HPV infection at some point in their lives.
Any person who has close, skin to skin contact with another person who has an HPV infection can get the infection, too.
Myth 2: All Strains of HPV Cause Cancer!
Fact Not all HPV strains can cause cancer.
The human papillomavirus is a group of more than 150 related viruses.
Some of those strains cause skin warts, some cause genital warts, and some can cause precancerous changes in cells that can lead to cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, penis, and oropharynx the back and sides of the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue.
The HPV strains that cause cancer are called high risk HPV.
Types 16 and 18, in particular, raise the risk of cervical cancer and genital cancers in men and women.
Type 16 also causes the majority of cases of oropharyngeal cancer.
When a high risk type of HPV does persist, it can take years to decades for cancer to develop, which is why women are advised to get screened for cervical cancer every three to five years, depending on the method of screening used, from age 21 through age 65 and possibly beyond that.
Myth 3: If You Don't Have Sex, You Won't Get HPV!
Fact HPV can be spread through skin to skin contact, so you don't have to have sexual intercourse to get HPV.
Using condoms can lower your risk of contracting HPV, but you can still contract the virus if it's present in skin not covered by a condom.
Myth 4: Men Can Get Screened for HPV!
