Infection with the HPV virus is common and infects at least 50% of all people who have had sex. It may go away, sometimes unnoticed, but some types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer or cancer of the anus or penis.

HPV stands for human papillomavirus, but there are actually more than 100 related viruses in this group. Each HPV virus is given a number or type. The term “papilloma” refers to a kind of wart that results from some HPV types.

HPV lives in the body’s epithelial cells. These are flat and thin cells found on the skin’s… Continue reading →