What is HPV?
HPV is short for human papilloma (pap-ah-LO-mah) virus. HPVs are a group of over 100 related viruses. Each HPV virus in the group is given a number, which is called an HPV type. HPVs are called papilloma viruses because some of the HPV types cause warts, or papillomas, which are non-cancerous tumors. The papilloma viruses are attracted to and are able to live only in squamous epithelial cells in the body. Squamous epithelial cells are thin, flat cells that are found on the surface of the skin, cervix, vagina, anus, vulva, head of the penis, mouth, and throat. HPVs will not grow in other parts of the body. Of the more than 100 strains of HPV, about 60 HPV types cause warts on non-genital skin, such as on the hands and feet. These are the common warts. The other 40 HPV types are mucosal types of HPV. “Mucosal” refers to the body’s mucous membranes, or the moist skin-like layers that line organs and cavities of the body that open to the outside. For example, the vagina and anus have a moi
HPV is short for human papilloma (pap-uh-LO-mah) virus. HPVs are a group of over 100 related viruses. Each HPV virus in the group is given a number, which is called an HPV type. HPVs are called papilloma viruses because some of the HPV types cause warts, or papillomas, which are non-cancerous tumors. The papilloma viruses are attracted to and are able to live only in squamous epithelial cells in the body. Squamous epithelial cells are thin, flat cells that are found on the surface of the skin, cervix, vagina, anus, vulva, head of the penis, mouth, and throat. HPVs will not grow in other parts of the body. Of the more than 100 strains of HPV, about 60 HPV types cause warts on non-genital skin, such as on the hands and feet. These are the common warts. The other 40 HPV types are mucosal types of HPV. “Mucosal” refers to the bodys mucous membranes, or the moist skin-like layers that line organs and cavities of the body that open to the outside. For example, the vagina and anus have a mois
Cervical cancer (which the American Cancer Society says affected an estimated 11,150 women in 2007) is by far the most significant concern. However, high-risk types of HPV also have been linked to less-common cancers of the vulva (3,490 women), vagina (2,140 women), anus (2,750 women and 1,900 men) and penis (1,280 men).
HPV is short for human papilloma virus (pap-uh-LO-muh). HPVs are a group of over 100 related viruses. Each HPV virus in the group is given a number, which is called an HPV type. HPVs are called papilloma viruses because some of the HPV types cause warts or papillomas, which are non-cancerous tumors. The papilloma viruses are attracted to and are able to live only in squamous epithelial cells in the body. Squamous epithelial cells are thin, flat cells that are found on the surface of the skin, cervix, vagina, anus, vulva, head of the penis, mouth, and throat. HPVs will not grow in other parts of the body. Of the more than 100 strains of HPV, about 60 HPV types cause warts on non-genital skin, such as on the hands and feet. These are the common warts. The other 40 HPV types are mucosal types of HPV. “Mucosal” refers to the body’s mucous membranes, or the moist skin-like layers that line organs and cavities of the body that open to the outside. For example, the vagina and anus have a mois
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an STD that causes genital warts. It also is the cause of more than 90 percent of all cervical cancer. Cervical cancer takes the lives of about 5,000 American women yearly, and condoms provide almost no protection against HPV. It is estimated 5.5 million new infections occur each year with at least 20 million people currently infected. Source: National Institutes of Health. (April 1-3, 1996). Cervical Cancer: NIH Consensus Development Statement, Online, 43(1), 1-30. Source: American Social Health Association. (1998, December) Sexually Transmitted Disease in America: How Many Cases and at What Cost? Menlo Park, Calif.: Kaiser Family Foundation. Sexual Transmission of HIV and other STDs. CDC Update, 2.
