![GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] logo](http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/90997/20120131170242/www.gardasil.com/assets/content/print-friendly/logo.jpg){kind=logo}
Who Gets HPV
HPV — WHO GETS IT?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) affects both females and males. HPV transmission can happen with any kind of genital contact with someone who has HPV—intercourse isn’t necessary.
Many people who have HPV don’t even know it, because the virus often has no signs or symptoms. That means you can get the virus or pass it on to your partner without knowing it.
In the United States, an estimated 75% to 80% of males and females will be infected with HPV in their lifetime. For most, the virus will clear on its own, but when it doesn’t, HPV can have consequences:
IN WOMEN:
- Precancers and cancers: cervicalCervical cancer Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. Cervical cancer is a serious condition that can be life threatening.
Get More Information
See Full Glossary,
vaginalVaginal cancer Most types are commonly found in the lining of the upper area of the vagina near the cervix.
Get More Information
See Full Glossary, and vulvarVulvar cancer Vulvar cancer is a type of cancer that forms just outside the vagina in an area called the vulva.
Get More Information
See Full Glossary - Genital wartsGenital warts Genital warts are usually flesh-colored growths or small bumps that are caused by certain types of HPV. They can appear alone or in clusters in virtually any part of the genital area.
Get More Information
See Full Glossary
And there is no way to predict who will or won’t clear the virus.
There are about 6 million new cases of genital HPV* in the United States each year. It’s estimated that 74% of them occur in 15- to 24-year-olds.
*Number represents 30 to 40 genital HPV types, not just HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18.
This site is intended only for residents of the United States, its territories, and Puerto Rico.
Copyright © 1995-2011 Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
20950185(10)-12/09-GRD
This site is intended only for residents of the United States, its territories, and Puerto Rico.
20802636(2)-03/08-GRD
