What Is HPV Infection And How It Can Affect Your Life

The increasing number of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) cases in the Philippines are getting more and more alarming, in the recent report of Department of Health in April 2017, there are a total of 629 Filipinos are diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and most of them belongs to the millennial age group.

80 percent or at least 513 cases of HIV diagnosed patients were aged 15 to 34 while 609 of them acquired the virus through sexual contact and more than half of the number is men who are engaging to same-sex intercourse.

There are lots of underlying diseases one can get after having STP, aside from HIV, one f which is the so-called HPV or Human Papillomavirus.

But what is HPV? Below are some of the helpful information you need in order to better understand HPV and how can you protect yourself from this disease.

Warning: some photos might be disturbing to some readers.

HPV is a common disease

In the United States alone there are over 79 million cases of HPV based on the report released by Center for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV can also lead to cervical cancer which is considered the 2nd most common cancer resulting in over 274,000 deaths and 529,000 new cases based on the last record from 2008.

It can be transmitted even without sex

Unlike HIV, HPV can be transmitted through skin to skin contact or kissing as the virus can also be present in your mouth through saliva. Genital warts caused by HPV are the primary cause of virus transfer as it usually occurs in the genital area, upper thigh, and butt.

HPV vaccine is available

Despite the availability of immunization to help reduce the risk of HPV for both men and women, unfortunately, just like STD and HIV, there is still no cure for it. Genital warts caused by the infection can also be removed and treated but does not mean the virus will also be gone.

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