What Are the Symptoms of HPV Virus?

Introduction

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted disease that can occur in both men and women. Most strains of HPV do not have symptoms. According to the CDC, many types of HPV go away without any need for treatment. However, certain strains can cause symptoms like genital warts and cancer. Genital warts can afflict both men and women; women can develop cervical cancer, and men can develop penile and anal cancer. Other than the warts and cancer, there are no other symptoms for HPV.

Genital Warts

According to the CDC, genital warts are caused by a low-risk form of HPV. The strains of HPV that cause genital warts cannot cause cancer. After coming in contact with an infected sexual partner, the genital warts will begin to form on the genital region, including the vulva, vagina, anus, cervix, penis, scrotum, groin and thigh. The warts will appear as either a small bump or a group of bumps that can be raised, flat or cauliflower shaped. Most of the genital warts are visible; however, according to the CDC, a doctor can use a vinegar solution to find flat warts. However, normal skin can be misread as a flat wart with the vinegar solution. Genital warts can be treated with medicine, surgery and freezing.

Cancer

According to the CDC, certain strains of HPV can cause cancer. In women, HPV causes cervical cancer. Women receive yearly Pap smears that detects the presence of cervical cancer. In addition, the vaccine Gardasil is recommended for women under the age of 26 to protect against those strains of HPV. Three doses of Gardasil are given over a period of 6 months. However, Gardasil is not for men, nor is there another vaccination to protect men from contracting HPV. According to the CDC, two different strains of HPV can cause cancer in men. Neither penile cancer nor anal cancer has many warning signs until the cancer has become very advanced. Men who are at risk of contracting these types of cancer---gay, bisexual and HIV-positive men especially---may undergo anal Pap smears. However, the CDC warns that there is not enough evidence to recommend anal Pap smears. The purpose of anal Pap smears is to test for any abnormal cells and remove them. However, not enough clinical tests have been done to prove that the cell removal prevents the cancer, according to the CDC.