HPV Symptoms

Since many people don’t realize they have contracted genital HPV that makes this one of the most widely spread sexually transmitted diseases in existence. More than half of those who are sexually active contract HPV at some point in their lives – and in doing so will never know they have HPV as little or no symptoms will manifest.

Regardless of whether symptoms may or may not occur depend on the particular strain of HPV involved in which the infected patient has had transmitted to them. Currently there are more than 100 strains of HPV. While there are HPV strains associated with genital warts, they are not always visible to the patient.

There are types of HPV which are associated with cervical cancer and no warts occur, with little or no symptoms visible. There are HPV types which can cause common warts that can be found on other areas of the body; IE the hands or feet.

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Those who become infected with genital HPV eventually become uninfected without treatment, with no symptoms and no health problems. However, the longer the virus is in the body the higher the risk of developing cervical cancer or anal cancer.

As a virus, HPV lives in the mucous membranes in the genital area and skin. Genital warts are a clear indication of an HPV infection, however, genital warts take on many different appearances as they manifest. They are typically raised but can also be flat or pink, even shaped like cauliflower. Often times they can manifest as a single wart while other times multiple warts appear around the infection site, small and large and located in the anus, thigh, penis, groin, scrotum, or cervix.

There are types of genital HPV which are classified as cancerous which includes cervical cancer, cancer of the vulva, anus, and penis. If an infection is contracted with a type of cancerous HPV then precancerous changes will manifest in cells within the tissue though there will be no symptoms. Women that become infected with cancerous HPV may experience a Pap test that results in an abnormal screening. These tests are how doctors find cervical cancer and other precancerous changes of the cervix.