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High Risk HPV Symptoms

In the United States, HPV (human papillomavirus) is the most common sexually transmitted disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least half of all sexually active people will at one point in their life have HPV. Over 100 types of HPV exist, over 40 of which can be sexually transmitted among men and women. High risk HPV can lead to cancer in the long run if not treated.

  1. HPV Test

    • Usually women discover that they have HPV when they go for an annual pap smear and the results from the cervical cancer screening reveal abnormal cells. In order to ascertain whether the abnormal cells are of low risk strands, which do not cause cervical cancer, or high risk strands that will eventually develop into cancer, a colposcopy is normally conducted. Men usually aren't tested for HPV by an HPV DNA test unless they fall into a high risk category, such as having HIV.

    Symptoms

    • Low risk strains of HPV can lead to genital warts for women, which usually go away by themselves over time. However in men, genital warts on the penile and anal areas have been, in some instances, precursors to cancer. In regards to high risk types of HPV, there aren't any noticeable symptoms in women until the abnormal cells have turned cancerous. That is why it is very important for women to continue with their annual pap smears, in order to ensure they haven't developed abnormal cells that could lead to cancer.

    LEEP Procedure for Women

    • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure, also referred to as LEEP, is recommended by a doctor if results from the pap smear and/or colposcopy indicate mild or moderate dysplasia (abnormal cervical cells). Basically, during the LEEP procedure, a low-voltage electrical current is used to eliminate the abnormal tissues of the cervix, according to MedicineNet.com. After the procedure, women are asked to get pap smears every three or four months for at least a year to make sure that the abnormal cells haven't returned. Risks of the LEEP procedure are very rare, and include infection of the cervix or uterus and narrowing of the cervix, which can cause infertility and may increase the risk of delivering a baby early, reports WebMD.

    Cancer

    • High risk strains of HPV in women, if not detected or treated, can turn into cervical, vulva or vaginal cancers. In men, HPV can cause cancer in the anus and penis. According to MEDTV, every year cervical cancer affects about half a million women around the world, of which 25 percent do not survive. In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that high risk HPV is responsible for 11,000 cases of cervical cancer each year, resulting in 4,000 deaths, reported Thomas H. Maugh II, in an article for the Los Angeles Times. Maugh goes on to say that high risk HPV is linked to anal cancer, which affects about 2,000 men each year.

    Vaccine

    • In 2006 Gardisil was introduced, a vaccine that protects against four strands of HPV: two that are linked with 70 percent of cervical cancers and two that are linked with 90 percent of genital warts, which are, in some cases, precursors to anal and penile cancer. It is recommended that females between the ages of nine and 25 receive the vaccine. However, the duration that the vaccine will protect against the high risk strains of HPV is not yet determined. Also, pregnant women should not take the vaccine, as it is also not clear if Gardisil has been linked to miscarriages.

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