What is HPV?
The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common family of viruses. HPV is also the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world today. Chances are a person will contract some form of the HPV virus in their lifetime and not have any signs or symptoms. In fact, chances are a person will have no problems at all from the HPV virus.
But you need to teach your students that some types of the HPV virus are considered "low-risk" and can cause genital and anal warts. Other types are considered "high-risk" and can cause pre-cancerous lesions and cancer in the cervix, anus and other genital areas.
Is there more than one type of HPV?
There are over 100 different types of the HPV virus. Most types are totally harmless, cause no signs or symptoms and actually clear up by themselves.
Over 40 other types of the HPV virus are sexually transmitted and affect the area on or between the genitals and the anus. Some low-risk types of the HPV virus can cause common skin warts and plantar warts (warts on the soles of the feet). There are 15 high-risk types of HPV (such as type 16 and type 18) that can cause pre-cancerous lesions, cervical cancer as well as anal cancer and other genital cancers.
How is HPV spread?
The HPV virus can infect anyone who has ever had a sexual encounter even without penetration. The most common transmission is by skin-to-skin contact with the penis, scrotum, vagina, vulva, or anus of an infected person. Kissing or touching a partner's genitals with the mouth can also transmit the HPV virus.
Using a condom is offers excellent protection against sexually transmitted infections. The fact is that condoms cannot cover all the skin surfaces around the genitals and the anus, and therefore, they do not guarantee complete protection against HPV.
