Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name for a group of viruses that affect your skin and the moist membranes lining your body.
Examples of this include your:
- cervix
- anus
- mouth and throat
There are more than 100 types of HPV. Around 30 types of HPV infection can affect the genital area.
Genital HPV infections are common and highly contagious. They are spread during sexual intercourse and skin-to-skin contact of the genital areas.
What can HPV infection do and how can I prevent the risks?
Infection with some types of genital HPV can cause:
-
minor problems, such as common skin warts and verrucas.
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genital warts – this is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK
-
abnormal tissue growth and other changes to cells in the infected area – this can sometimes cause cancers, such as:
- cervical cancer
- anal cancer
- genital cancers such as vaginal, vulval and penile cancer
- some head and neck cancers
But the HPV vaccine can protect you against several types of HPV, including the viruses that cause more than 95% of cervical cancers, most anal cancers and some genital, head and neck cancers.
In the UK, as of 2019 the HPV vaccine is offered to boys and girls aged 12 to 13 at school. The first dose is given in Year 8 and the second is given 6 to 24 months later. It’s important to have both doses.
If you miss the vaccine at school, you may still be able to get it. Women born after 1 September 1991 and men born after 1 September 2006 can get the vaccine for free until their 25th birthday.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) who are 45 or younger are also able to get the HPV vaccine for free from sexual health and HIV clinics. Trans women (women who were assigned male at birth) can get it in the same way. And trans men (men who were assigned female at birth) aged 45 or younger can have it if they have sex with men.
All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 can also have regular cervical screenings (smear tests), to check for high-risk types of HPV. If these are found, more tests will be done to check for abnormal cells. If necessary, these can be treated to help prevent you from getting cancer.
