You Might Have HPV and Not Know It

Are you sexually active? Do you think that you are healthy and have nothing to worry about? Then you are completely and utterly wrong. STDs are a serious matter that concerns many Americans and Hispanics. If you think that because you went to the doctor and had some tests done means you have no worries then you have something else coming to you.

Many STDs are symptom free and many of these STDs carriers don't even have a clue that they are infected and that they might pass it to their partners. One particular STD rarely shows symptoms in men,

Human Papilloma Virus also known as HPV.

HPV is contracted by sexual activities, and even if you do not have intercourse and you have oral sex you can contract this disease. Just by having contact with the infected skin makes you susceptible to catching it. The symptoms are not always there, some women experience a discharge or cauliflower shaped warts in or around the vagina. You can also get it in other areas of your body. In men HPV rarely shows symptoms, but they are the same as women's symptoms.

The only way a doctor can know if you have HPV is by visual inspection, if he sees nothing he might not know you have it and then you'll pass it on to your partner.

There is no cure for HPV and it will stay in your body for life. The only way to make sure you don't get it is to not have sex or limit the amount of partners you have and have protected sex every time.

HPV also may cause cervical cancer in women and a new vaccine has come to light to help prevent this disease in women. HPV causes 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. This is the reason why the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases in females caused by certain types of HPV.

If you think you might have a STD do some research and compare your symptoms to those of all STDs currently known of. See a doctor and let them know what you are experiencing and if you have noticed anything abnormal on your skin. Make sure that if you choose to have sex that you use protection and stay faithful to the relationship. Many women and men who date more than one partner tend to catch STDs quicker than those in monogamous relationships.

Make sure you think before you decide to do anything sexual in nature because so far HPV has risen to a high number in 2007 and only we can prevent it.