Of the more than 100
types of HPV (human papillomavirus), over 30 types are sexually transmitted and can cause infection in the genital areas of men and women. Common areas of HPV infection include:
- The skin of the penis, vulva (the area outside the vagina), or anus
- The linings of the vagina, cervix, or rectum.
Approximately 20 million people currently have an HPV infection, and about 6.2 million Americans get a new genital infection each year. More than 50 percent of sexually active people will get a genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired a genital infection.
Most people who develop an HPV infection will not have any symptoms, and the infection usually goes away on its own.
(Click HPV to read the full eMedTV article on human papillomavirus, the symptoms it can cause, and how it may be treated.)
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