MamasHealth.com Home Sexually Transmitted Diseases AIDS Chlamydia Info Crabs Genital Herpes Genital Warts Gonorrhea Granuloma Herpes HPV and men Mono Syphilis Thrush Trich Vaginal Yeast Infection Links Email Mama Sex on Prom Night Help! The condom broke Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	HPV and Men What is HPV? HPV is an abreviation for Hhuman papillomavirus. HPV is a common virus. Most sexually active people in the United States will have HPV at some time in their lives. Types of HPV There are more than 40 types of HPV that are passed on during sex. These types can infect the genital areas of men, including the skin on and around the penis or anus. Men and HPV Most men who get HPV never develop any symptoms or health problems. Some types of HPV can cause genital warts. Other types of HPV can cause penile cancer or anal cancer. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types that can cause penile or anal cancer. About 1% of sexually active men in the U.S. have genital warts at any one time. Penile cancer is rare, especially in circumcised men. In the U.S., penile cancer affects about 1 in every 100,000 men. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that about 1,530 men would be diagnosed with penile cancer in the U.S. in 2006. Anal cancer is also uncommon—especially in men with healthy immune systems. According to the ACS, about 1,900 men will be diagnosed with anal cancer in the U.S. in 2007. Some men are more likely to develop HPV-related diseases than others: Gay and bisexual men are 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than heterosexual men. Men with weak immune systems, including those who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are more likely than other men to develop anal cancer. Men with HIV are also more likely to get severe cases of genital warts that are hard to treat. How is HPV transmitted? HPV is passed on through genital contact –most often during vaginal and anal sex. Since HPV usually causes no symptoms, most men and women can get HPV – and pass it on - without realizing it. People can have HPV even if years have passed since they had sex. Can men be tested for HPV? Currently, there is no test designed to find HPV in men. But HPV is very common and most men with HPV will never develop health problems from it. Finding out if you have HPV is not as important as finding out if you have the diseases that it can cause. Can men be tested for genital warts? In most cases, you can see genital warts. Some doctors may use a vinegar solution to help find flat warts—but this test can sometimes wrongly identify normal skin as a wart. Is there a test to screen for HPV-related cancers in men? Screening tests can find early signs of disease in people who are not yet sick. Screening tests for penile or anal cancer are not widely recommended. Some experts recommend yearly anal Pap tests for gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men, since anal cancer is more common in these groups. This test can find abnormal cells in the anus that could turn into cancer over time. If abnormal cells are found, they can be removed. You can check for any abnormalities on your penis, scrotum, or around the anus. See your doctor if you find warts, blisters, sores, ulcers, white patches, or other abnormal areas on your penis—even if they do not hurt. Can HPV be treated? There is no treatment or cure for HPV. But there are ways to treat the health problems caused by HPV in men. Can HPV be prevented in men? Because HPV is so common and usually invisible, the only sure way to prevent it is not to have sex. Even people with only one lifetime sex partner can get HPV, if their partner was infected with HPV. Condoms (used all the time and the right way) may lower your chances of passing HPV to a partner or developing HPV-related diseases. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom—so condoms may not fully protect against HPV. HPV and your partner Partners usually share HPV. If you have been with your partner for a long time, you probably have HPV already. Most sexually active adults will have HPV at some time in their lives. Men with healthy immune systems rarely develop health problems from HPV. But you should check regularly for any abnormalities on your penis. If you have a weak immune system or HIV, ask your doctor about checking for anal and penile cancers. If your partner is new, condoms may lower your chances of getting HPV or developing HPV-related diseases. But not having sex is the only sure way to avoid HPV. HPV and our relationship A person can have HPV for many years before it is found or causes health problems. So there is no way to know if your partner gave you HPV, or if you gave HPV to your partner. HPV should not be seen as a sign that you or your partner is having sex outside of your relationship.	Featured Book
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