HPV infections can be sexually transmitted or non-sexually acquired; this review focuses on the latter. Transmission of non-sexually acquired HPV occurs when infected skin or skin squames are in direct contact with broken or macerated skin.
The route of HPV transmission is primarily through skin-to-skin or skin-to-mucosa contact. Sexual transmission is the most documented, but there have been studies suggesting non-sexual courses. The horizontal transfer of HPV includes fomites, fingers, and mouth, skin contact (other than sexual).
Non-sexual transmission
Non-sexual HPV transmission happens most commonly through skin-to-skin or skin-to-mucosa (thin tissues). For example, if a person with a wart on their finger touches another person, they could spread the HPV virus.
About 80 percent of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some point in their lives and most new infections are in individuals in their teens and early 20s. Most individuals will have no symptoms and may never know they have the virus, but while infected, can spread the virus.
You can become infected with HPV without having sex.
But it can also happen if HPV comes into contact with any mucous membrane (such as mouths, lips, anus and parts of the genitals) or with a break in your skin, such as a vaginal tear. A condom, when used properly, does reduce the risk of HPV transmission.
Anyone who has had sex can get HPV, even if it was only with only one person, but infections are more likely in people who have had many sex partners. Even if a person delays sexual activity until marriage, or only has one partner, they are still at risk of HPV infection if their partner has been exposed.
You can't get HPV from a toilet seat, swimming pools, or from an infected person's blood. The only way to avoid all risk of any type of HPV infection is to never be sexually active -- no vaginal, anal, or oral sex. To lower your risk, you can also limit the number of sex partners you have.
For 90 percent of women with HPV, the condition will clear up on its own within two years. Only a small number of women who have one of the HPV strains that cause cervical cancer will ever actually develop the disease.
Some HPV infections can lead to cancer
Most HPV infections (9 out of 10) go away by themselves within 2 years. But sometimes, HPV infections will last longer and can cause some cancers. HPV infections can cause cancers of the: Cervix, vagina, and vulva in women.
HPV is very common. It is estimated that up to 80% of people in Australia have HPV at some time in their lives. Many people who have HPV have no idea that they have been exposed to the infection.
HPV causes
The virus that causes HPV infection is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Most people get a genital HPV infection through direct sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Because HPV is a skin-to-skin infection, intercourse isn't required for transmission to occur.
Is HPV Contagious Forever? Most cases of HPV clear up on their own after one to two years, and you'll no longer be contagious once it leaves your system. However, the virus can remain dormant for years, and some people experience infections that stick around for much longer.
There is no sure way to know when HPV was acquired i.e. from which partner it came from or how long ago. Sex partners who have been together tend to share HPV, even when both partners do not show signs of HPV. Having HPV does not mean that a person or their partner is having sex outside the current relationship.
HPV infection does not always mean that genital warts will appear. You can have HPV without having any symptoms. HPV strains that cause genital warts can take approximately one to eight months to develop. Most warts appear as small, flat, flesh-coloured or cauliflower-like bumps.
The main difference between STIs and STDs is that while STIs include infections that may not have symptoms, like HIV and HPV (human papillomavirus), they aren't accompanied by any inflammation.
If left untreated, some strains of HPV can cause cellular changes in your body that lead to cancer. The most common type of cancer linked to HPV is cervical cancer, but HPV infection can also cause cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, or back of the throat. HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer.
Positive. A positive HPV test means you do have an HPV type that may be linked to cervical cancer. This does not mean you have cervical cancer now. But it could be a warning. The specific HPV type may be identified to determine the next step.
Several studies involving younger women indicate that type-specific HPV can be detected again after a long period of apparent clearance, but it has not been established whether type-specific HPV redetection is due to reactivation of a low-level persistent infection or the result of a new infection [6–9].
Q: How long after exposure does it usually take for something to be detectable? A: Changes consistent with HPV can usually be detected within 3-6 months after exposure to the infection.
The HPV test is available only to women; no HPV test yet exists to detect the virus in men. However, men can be infected with HPV and pass the virus to their sex partners.
Sexual contact, including oral sex and deep kissing, can be a method of HPV transmissionfrom one person to another. The likelihood of contracting oral HPV is directly associated with number of sexual partners a person has had. There are a few ways to prevent HPV-related oral cancer, depending on your age.