What Is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?
Updated on January 26, 2026
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The human papillomavirus (HPV) is best known as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can lead to cervical cancer, as well as anal, vaginal, and mouth and throat cancers. While it is often spread through sexual contact, HPV can also be transmitted by any skin-to-skin contact.
Virtually all sexually active individuals are infected with one or more types of HPV in their lifetime, but many people never know they have HPV because they never develop any symptoms or experience other symptoms of the infection.
Types of HPV: Skin, Mucosal, High Risk, Low Risk
HPV lives in cells found on the surface of the skin and in the moist mucous membranes that line many areas of the body:
- Mouth and throat
- Cervix
- Vagina
- Anus
Skin Warts
HPV can also cause genital warts, which are caused by different types of the virus than those that can lead to cancer.
Still other types of HPV can cause common skin warts or plantar warts, which grow on the bottoms of your feet.
While both skin warts and genital warts may be distressing or even painful — and can be transmitted from one person to another, or even from one area of the body to another — the most concerning types of HPV are those that can cause precancerous changes in the cells they infect.
In healthy people, the immune system can usually fight off the viruses that cause skin warts — limiting the number of warts people typically develop and making them eventually go away.
But this is often not the case in people whose immune systems are compromised, such as by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), drugs to prevent organ rejection or to treat autoimmune diseases, or older age. In these people, HPV infection of the skin may cause more extensive warts that persist.
Genital Warts (Mucosal Warts)
The other HPV types — more than 40 of them — are considered mucosal types, meaning that they infect mucous membranes of the body. These are also known as genital or anogenital HPV types because they typically infect the anal or genital areas, leading to HPV in women and men.
About 90 percent of anogenital warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11. These flat or protruding growths most commonly affect the following areas of the body:
- Vulva (outside the vagina) in HPV for women
- Shaft or under the foreskin of the penis in HPV for men
Warts from the same HPV types may also occur in the following areas:
- Vagina or cervix
- Urethra (tube through which urine exits the body)
- Scrotum
- Perineum (area between the genitals and anus)
- Area around the anus
- Inside the anus (most common in people who have receptive anal sex)
- Inner nose, mouth, and throat
- Inner eyelids
Low-Risk Mucosal HPV
Mucosal HPV types are categorized as either low risk or high risk.
Low-risk HPV types can cause genital warts, which may occur around the genitals and anus, as well as in the mouth and throat.
But most low-risk HPV types don’t cause any symptoms and are generally not a reason for anyone to be concerned.[
High-Risk Mucosal HPV
High-risk HPV types can cause changes in mucosal cells that lead to cancer.
Scientists have identified about 14 high-risk HPV types, although HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for most HPV-related cancers.
What Are HPV 16 and 18?
HPV is actually a group of more than 150 related viruses. Each virus in the group has an assigned number, which is known as its HPV type (or serotype).
HPV 16 and 18 are types of HPV that have been shown to significantly increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. HPV 16 also causes most cases of oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancer.
The HPV vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, as well as several other cancer-causing types of the virus and the two main HPV types in women and men that cause genital warts.
Poll
If you contract HPV, how do you think you'll view your long-term outlook?
HPV Signs and Symptoms
Different types of HPV and different locations of infection in the body can cause different symptoms.
Skin warts — which can vary in size, shape, and appearance — are growths on the skin surface that may range from fairly flat to protruding. It’s not always possible to know if a skin growth is a wart.
Genital warts may also range from flat to protruding and are typically seen on mucosal or skin surfaces in the anal and genital regions. They may be pink, brown, or flesh-colored, and may cause itching or discomfort.
Precancerous cell changes in the cervix cause no symptoms but can be detected with the Pap test, in which a sample of cells is collected and examined under a microscope.
Early vaginal, vulvar, and cervical cancers related to HPV may cause no symptoms, but advanced-stage cancer can lead to abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge and pain during intercourse.
Signs and symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer may include persistent sore throat, a lump in the
Early penile cancer may cause changes in skin color and thickening of the skin.
Signs and symptoms of anal cancer may include anal bleeding, pain, itching, or discharge; swollen lymph nodes in the anal or genital area; and changes in bowel habits and stool.
You should see your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms of HPV-related cancers.
HPV Causes and Risk Factors
Skin warts are spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. You can also spread warts from one part of your body to another through touch. Children and teens, people who bite their nails or pick at hangnails, and people with a weakened immune system have a higher risk of getting common warts.
Mucosal HPV types are transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact — most commonly through vaginal or anal sex but also through oral sex. Anyone who is sexually active is at risk for getting HPV, even if you’ve had only one sexual partner.
You’re at higher risk for genital or oral HPV if you:
- Haven’t been vaccinated against HPV
- Have many sexual partners
- Have a sexual partner with HPV
- Have a sexual partner who has had many sexual partners or whose sexual history you don’t know
- Don’t use a condom every time you have sex
- Start having sex at a young age, especially under 18
- Have had other STIs, especially chlamydia
- Have a weakened immune system, such as from HIV or taking a drug that suppresses your immune response
Symptoms from HPV may develop years after you become infected, so it’s often impossible to know who transmitted the virus to you. Even with no symptoms, you can pass HPV on to other people, and you can get HPV from someone who doesn’t show any symptoms.
How is HPV Diagnosed?
Skin warts and genital warts can usually be diagnosed on sight during a physical examination, but your doctor may also refer you to a dermatologist to be sure your skin condition is a wart. Your dermatologist may take a biopsy, or small tissue sample, to examine under a microscope.
To help diagnose genital warts, your doctor may apply an acetic acid solution to the area to lighten the warts, making them more visible.
If you’re a woman with detectable genital warts, your doctor may also perform a colposcopy (a procedure that uses a light and a low-power microscope) to find genital warts on your cervix that are too small to see with the naked eye.
Women can be screened for HPV infection of the cervix with the HPV test, which is done by removing some cervical cells with a swab and testing them for the presence of HPV. The test can detect HPV types 16 and 18 and provide broad results for other high-risk (cancer-causing) HPV types in cervical tissue.
According to the American Cancer Society, self-collected vaginal specimens can be taken without a healthcare provider present. Individuals who are at average risk of developing cervical cancer may stop screening after testing negative on primary HPV tests or negative during cotesting on HPV tests or Pap tests for people 60 and 65.
Women who have a positive HPV test should seek advice from a doctor on how best to follow up to prevent cervical cancer. Depending on a number of individual factors, your doctor may recommend a repeat test in one to three years, a colposcopy or cervical biopsy, or treatment for precancerous changes to the cervix.
HPV Treatment and Medication Options
How HPV is treated depends on how it is affecting you. While the body often clears an HPV infection within months to years, the infection may persist in some people. There is no treatment available that can rid the body of HPV, but some of the symptoms and complications of HPV can be treated.
If you have a skin wart, you may choose to leave it until it goes away on its own, treat it with an over-the-counter product, or see your doctor for treatment.
For genital warts, your doctor can prescribe several topical medicines to apply to external warts at home. Genital warts may also be treated in a doctor’s office with topical medication, cryotherapy (freezing the warts), or surgical removal. Topical medication may need to be applied repeatedly for weeks or even months to fully treat genital warts. Cryotherapy may need to be repeated multiple times.
Similar medical and surgical therapies may be used for warts located on the cervix or in the vagina, anus, or urethra. Precancerous lesions in the cervix may be removed using cryotherapy, surgery, or other techniques.
And cancers caused by HPV in women and men are treated with standard cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
HPV Prevention
The best way to protect yourself against genital warts and cancer caused by HPV is to get the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine currently used in the United States, Gardasil 9, protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause most cases of genital warts; 16 and 18, which cause most cases of HPV-related cancer; as well as five other types that can cause cancer (31, 33, 45, 52, and 58).
In the United States, the HPV vaccine is approved for children and adults ages 9 to 45. Routine vaccination is recommended at age 11 or 12, and through age 26 if you didn’t receive the full vaccine schedule before that.
Two doses of the vaccine are recommended for most people who receive it before age 15, while three doses are recommended for anyone who starts the vaccine schedule after that.
Rates of HPV vaccination have been steadily rising in the United States over the past decade. The proportion of adolescents ages 13 to 17 who had received at least one dose was 76 percent in 2022, about the same as the previous year. The equivalent numbers were 65.5 percent in 2017 and 68.1 percent in 2018.
HPV Duration and Prognosis
In many cases, the immune system fights off HPV, so a person may have no symptoms and test negative on the relevant HPV tests.
In other cases, the immune system does not prevent the virus from infecting the cells, but the infection doesn’t immediately cause symptoms. In fact, it may never cause symptoms, but the virus can be transmitted to another person through skin-to-skin or sexual contact.
And in still other cases, an HPV infection causes abnormal changes in the infected cells that can eventually develop into cancer. The time between an infection and the development of precancerous changes or cancer may be years or even decades.
The earlier HPV-related symptoms are found, the more likely they can be treated successfully.
HPV Complications
The most serious potential complication of HPV infection is cancer. But most HPV types aren’t known to cause cancer, and most cases of any HPV type are cleared by the body within two years.
HPV is believed to cause over 90 percent of cases of cervical and anal cancer, about 70 percent of cases of vaginal and vulvar cancer, and about 60 percent of cases of penile cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While oropharyngeal cancer has traditionally been linked to using tobacco and alcohol, more recent studies show that 60 to 70 percent of these cancer cases may be linked to HPV.
Overall, the CDC estimates there are 37,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year that are linked to HPV, with about 21,500 cancer cases related to HPV in women and 15,500 related to HPV in men.
Cervical Cancer
Since the ‘70s, the mortality rates for cervical cancer have declined by more than half due to efforts in early screening and prevention.
More recently, the HPV test was developed to directly test for HPV infection in the cervix, even before any precancerous changes take place. Both the Pap test and HPV test may be used for cervical cancer screening.
Even though cervical cancer is now almost entirely preventable, the American Cancer Society estimates that, for 2025, there will be 13,360 new cases of invasive cervical cancer recorded and about 4,320 deaths.
Most cases of invasive cervical cancer are found in women who have not had regular screening tests. While the typical age range for a cervical cancer diagnosis is 35 to 44, more than 20 percent of cases are diagnosed in women over age 65.
Oral Cancer
Oropharyngeal cancer develops on the back and sides of the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue.
About 12,500 cases of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer are diagnosed in men in the United States each year, compared with about 2,300 cases in women.
The rate of oropharyngeal cancer linked to HPV has increased greatly in recent decades. This form of oropharyngeal cancer is more common in younger people with a history of multiple sex (including oral sex) partners but no history of tobacco use or heavy alcohol use.
It’s believed that people get oral HPV from oral sex, although why men develop HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer so much more than women is not known.
Research and Statistics: Who Has HPV?
About 42.5 million people are living with HPV in the United States, while there are 13 million new cases each year.
Each year an estimated 46,700 people in the United States develop HPV-related cancers — cancers that are often caused by HPV. Out of these cancer cases, an estimated 37,000 are actually caused by HPV.
Disparities and Inequalities in HPV
HPV can infect anyone, but different populations within the United States have been found to have different rates of infection in various areas of the body, as well as different rates of HPV-related cancers.
Using data from cancer registries, the CDC publishes estimates of new cases of HPV-associated cancers among Americans of different races and ethnicities. Key findings include the following observations:
- Among both men and women, white adults had the highest incidence of HPV-associated cancers, while Asian and Pacific Islander adults had the lowest incidence.
- For women of all races and ethnicities, cervical cancer was the most common HPV-associated cancer.
- For men of all races and ethnicities, oropharyngeal cancer was the most common HPV-associated cancer.
Related Conditions to HPV
HPV is one of several common STIs, formerly known as sexually transmitted diseases. Others include these conditions:
Unlike HPV, which is a viral infection, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are caused by bacteria. All three bacterial STIs can be cured by antibiotics, although some strains of the bacteria that cause gonorrhea have become resistant to most antibiotics.
Like HPV, genital herpes and HIV/AIDS are caused by viruses and cannot be cured, although they can be treated — both to reduce symptoms in the person who is infected and to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus to others.
The Takeaway
- The human papillomavirus is an STI that is linked to multiple types of cancer, including cervical cancer.
- HPV types are considered either low risk or high risk.
- HPV can’t be cured, but it can be prevented and treated.
- Talk with your doctor if you notice any symptoms of HPV or believe that you’ve been exposed.
FAQ
Does HPV go away on its own?
The immune system fights off HPV in many cases. But even if it doesn’t, the virus still may not immediately cause symptoms.
Should I tell my partner if I have HPV?
Always tell your partner about any STIs or possible exposures you may have had. Honest and open conversations are an important part of safe sex.
How do I get rid of HPV?
No treatment can get rid of HPV. Treatment usually revolves around addressing symptoms.
Resources We Trust
- American Academy of Dermatology: Warts: Overview
- American Sexual Health Association: HPV and Relationships
- Mayo Clinic: Plantar Warts
- National Cervical Cancer Coalition: Cervical Cancer Overview
- Planned Parenthood: What Are the Symptoms of HPV?
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 22, 2021.
- HPV and Cancer. National Cancer Institute. May 9, 2025.
- HPV Infection: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. September 19, 2025.
- Cancer Facts & Figures, 2024. American Cancer Society. 2024.
- Anogenital Warts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 22, 2021.
- Basic Information about HPV and Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 17, 2024.
- What are the Symptoms of HPV? Planned Parenthood.
- Common Warts. Mayo Clinic. May 16, 2024.
- Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer. American Cancer Society. July 1, 2025.
- HPV Infection: Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. September 19, 2025.
- HPV and Pap Test Results: Next Steps after an Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Test. National Cancer Institute. June 6, 2024.
- McDowell S. New Cervical Cancer Screening Guideline Aims to Improve Accessibility. American Cancer Society. December 4, 2025.
- HPV Vaccination Recommendations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 16, 2021.
- Pingali C et al. National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — United States, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 3, 2021.
- Walker TY et al. National, Regional, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — United States, 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 23, 2019.
- Cancers Linked with HPV Each Year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 3, 2025.
- Key Statistics for Cervical Cancer. American Cancer Society. January 14, 2026.
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Meet Our Experts
Jane Yoon Scott, MD
Medical Reviewer
Jane Yoon Scott, MD, is an infectious disease physician and an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Scott enjoys connecting with her patients, empowering them to understand and take ownership of their health, and encouraging them to ask questions so that they can make informed and thoughtful decisions.
She graduated with the highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, then received her MD from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed her internal medicine residency training and chief residency at Temple University Hospital, as well as a fellowship in infectious diseases at Emory University. She is board-certified in both internal medicine and infectious diseases.
When she is not seeing patients, Dr. Scott works with neighboring health departments to promote public health, especially to communities that have been historically underserved. She also teaches medical trainees and lectures medical students at the Emory University School of Medicine.
In her free time, Dr. Scott appreciates a good coffee shop, weekend hikes, playing guitar, strolling through cities, sampling restaurants, and traveling to new places.
Joseph Bennington-Castro
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Joseph Bennington-Castro is a science writer based in Hawaii. He has written well over a thousand articles for the general public on a wide range topics, including health, astronomy, archaeology, renewable energy, biomaterials, conservation, history, animal behavior, artificial intelligence, and many others.
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