Have you ever heard about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)? Experts are saying that this sexually transmitted disease is truly dangerous and may potentially lead to anus, cervical, penis, and mouth cancer. Both men and women can be affected by this so you really have to be very cautious.
Of course, one of the best ways to preventing this virus from hitting you is by educating yourself about it.
First off, human papilloma virus (HPV) is a group of viruses that affect the skin. The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (United States) also mentioned that there are over a hundred types of this virus and some may cause common warts on hands and feet. This means that there are two ways one can acquire the virus namely 1) through sexual intercourse and 2) through simple direct skin-to-skin contact.
For this reason, there are cases when an individual may not be aware that he or she has acquired the virus and are already transmitting it to others.
As we have earlier mentioned, not all types of HPV are risky to the health. Some of them can actually go away without needing treatment but there are those that can indeed be dangerous . Having high risk HPV can lead to serious health problems.
For example, women who have it may develop cervical cancer in 10 to 20 years time – which can be prevented when detected in its early stage. This is one of the reasons why women, whether sexually active or not, are encouraged to undergo regular gynecological exams. For women over 30 years old, getting a Pap smear test is also a wise idea.
Experts also say that using male or female condoms during intercourse can only reduce the risk of infection but even that cannot totally guarantee your safety.
For more information about HPV, contact your physician.