Skip to Main Content
Boston University
  • Bostonia
  • BU Today
  • The Brink
  • University Publications

    • Bostonia
    • BU Today
    • The Brink
  • School & College Publications

    • The Record
Other Publications
BU Today
  • Sections
News, Opinion, Community

HPV Facts Revealed

Find out what HPV is and how to prevent this common STD.

November 28, 2006
  • Beth Grampetro
Twitter Facebook
Health Matters

The human papillomavirus (HPV) has gotten a lot of attention in the news lately with the release of a vaccine to prevent four high-risk strains of the disease. But what exactly is HPV? And should you be concerned?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20 million people in the United States are currently infected with HPV, making it the country’s most common sexually transmitted infection. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women will acquire genital HPV during their lifetime, and at least 80 percent of women will have acquired the virus by age 50.

There are more than 100 different strains of HPV, and approximately 30 strains of them are sexually transmitted. HPV lives in the skin or the mucous membranes and usually has no symptoms. However, some people may get visible genital warts, which usually appear as soft, moist, pink or flesh-colored swellings. They can be raised or flat, small or large, and sometimes cauliflower-shaped. They can appear on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, or on the cervix, and on the penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh. After sexual contact with an infected person, warts may appear within weeks or months. In addition, the virus can also cause precancerous cell changes in the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis.

The only sure way to avoid acquiring the virus is to abstain from all sexual activity. However, if you choose to be sexually active, try to maintain a monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. It’s also important to use condoms consistently and correctly. While condoms are not 100 percent effective in preventing HPV since they do not cover the entire genital area, they can help reduce the risk of transmission. Women should also get annual pap tests, which can detect abnormal cell changes early so treatment can be provided before the cells turn cancerous.

If you find out that you have the virus, it’s important to remember that most sexually active people will have genital HPV at some point in their lives. For the majority of those people, it won’t cause any health problems at all. Although you might feel embarrassed or ashamed about having a sexually transmitted virus, it’s important to be open and honest with your partner or partners so they can make informed decisions about their own health.

Boston University provides information about HPV at Wellness and Residential Education, 19 Deerfield St., and at Student Health Services (SHS), 881 Commonwealth Ave. SHS offers Gardasil, the recently approved HPV vaccine for women. Students interested in the vaccine should call SHS at 617-353-3575.

Beth Grampetro is the health and wellness educator at the Office of Residence Life. She can be reached at bethg@bu.edu.

Explore Related Topics:

  • Sex
  • Student Health Services
  • Share this story

Share

HPV Facts Revealed

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Beth Grampetro

    Beth Grampetro Profile

Latest from BU Today

  • Rowing

    BU Rowing Teams Prepare for IRA National Championship Regatta

  • Things-to-do

    To Do Today: Beacon Hill Art Walk

  • In the City

    Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: Davis Square

  • Things-to-do

    To Do Today: The Light in the Piazza

  • Jobs

    Job-Hunting as a New Graduate: What You Need to Know

  • Education

    What’s Behind the Rise in Violence Against Teachers?

  • Fine Arts

    How I Made This: Jacob Whitchurch (CFA’26)

  • Things-to-do

    To Do Today: Seaport Sweat

  • Film & TV

    Did You Win Free Tickets to See Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning Tonight?

  • COMMENCEMENT 2025

    Experience BU’s 2025 Commencement from a Terrier Point of View

  • Obituaries

    Remembering Leslie Epstein, Pillar of BU’s Creative Writing Program

  • Voices & Opinion

    POV: This Memorial Day, Remember BU’s Fallen Heroes by Visiting the New Online Honor Wall

  • University News

    23 Charles River Campus Faculty Promoted to Full Professor

  • Commencement 2025

    Photos: A Look Back at BU’s Commencement

  • Theatre

    It’s “Prom Season” at Wheelock Family Theatre

  • Things-to-do

    Six Spots to Check Out This Memorial Day in Boston

  • Commencement 2025

    Video: Class of 2025: What We’ll Take with Us as We Begin a New Chapter

  • Health & Medicine

    What Does Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis Mean?

  • Watch Now

    BU’s Class of 2025: What Are Your Plans After Graduating?

  • Fitness

    BU Sports Rehab Therapists on Jayson Tatum’s Achilles Injury and Recovery Ahead

Section navigation

  • Sections
  • Must Reads
  • Videos
  • Series
  • Close-ups
  • Archives
  • About + Contact
Get Our Email

Explore Our Publications

Bostonia

Boston University’s Alumni Magazine

BU Today

News, Opinion, Community

The Brink

Pioneering Research from Boston University

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Weibo
  • TikTok
© Boston University. All rights reserved. www.bu.edu
© 2025 Trustees of Boston UniversityPrivacy StatementAccessibility
Boston University
Notice of Non-Discrimination: Boston University prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex or gender, age, national origin, ethnicity, shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, military service, marital, parental, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in any and all educational programs or activities operated by Boston University. Retaliation is also prohibited. Please refer questions or concerns about Title IX, discrimination based on any other status protected by law or BU policy, or retaliation to Boston University’s Executive Director of Equal Opportunity/Title IX Coordinator, at titleix@bu.edu or (617) 358-1796. Read Boston University’s full Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Search
Boston University Masterplate
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
HPV Facts Revealed
0
share this