Human papillomavirus (HPV): Transmission, symptoms and screening

The HPV family includes more than 200 types of related viruses. Many are sexually transmissible, and these are divided into two groups:

• High-risk HPV types are well known to be responsible for cervical cancer, but can also be linked to various other cancers (cancer of the mouth, penis, anus, vagina and vulva). They include 14 types, the best-known of which are types 16 and 18.

• Low-risk HPV types are very rarely associated with cancer, but can cause warts on the genitals, anus, mouth and throat.

In the case of sexual transmission, the virus is spread by direct or indirect contact of the skin or a mucous membrane with the genitals of an infected person, even if that person has no symptoms.

HPV infections are very common: The vast majority of sexually active people will be infected with either high- or low-risk HPV during their lifetime.

When symptoms occur, genital HPV infections lead to condylomas:

• Soft or hard genital warts that are pink, flesh-coloured, white, brown or grey. They may resemble ordinary warts, or look like a cauliflower or rooster’s crest.
• In women, they are found on the vulva, cervix, vagina and anus; in men, on or under the foreskin, at the entrance to the urethra, or on the penis or anus.

This being said, most infections are asymptomatic and disappear on their own within a few months. However, infection with high-risk HPV can sometimes persist for decades, causing precancerous lesions that can develop into cancer if not detected and properly treated. Note that the vast majority of high-risk HPV infections never develop into cancer.

The surest way to prevent HPV from developing into cancer is a screening test for high-risk HPV. This helps to identify individuals who need preventive follow-up.