Ask the Sexpert: Oct. 7, 2010

Dear Sexpert,

Is it true that guys can get human papillomavirus?

-Worried about infection

Dear Worried,

It is true that guys can get human papillomavirus. After all, HPV is transmitted through sexual contact, and though many of us have become familiar with the virus as a women's health issue, it is worth remembering that HPV, like all sexually transmitted infections, does not discriminate based on sex.

Human papillomavirus is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be the most common STI to affect humans. The virus infects the genitals and is passed through skin-to-skin contact, which means that HPV can be spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex. At least 40 different strains of HPV have been identified; some types can cause genital warts, which might be mistaken for herpes by an untrained eye, while others do not cause warts but can lead to cancer. These facts and figures are even scarier when you consider that about 50 percent of people who are sexually active will be infected with HPV at some point during their lives.

But this description of HPV is very much incomplete. The truth is that the vast majority of HPV infections, in men and women, do not lead to symptoms of any kind: no warts, no lesions, no cancer. It is believed that in 90 percent of cases, the body's immune system is capable of clearing the virus without any medical intervention. This means that even though 50 percent of sexually active people might acquire HPV at some point, only a tiny fraction of those people will ever be aware that they have it. If genital warts develop, there are several treatments available, and a doctor may advise letting the warts disappear on their own (though this is a decision only a medical professional is qualified to make).

Although most men and women who acquire HPV will not develop cancer, it is that fear which motivates many people to seek vaccination. HPV can cause cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal and penile cancers, as well as cancer of the head and neck.

Statistics show that women are at the greatest risk from cancers caused by HPV, so when the vaccine came on the market in 2006, it was approved exclusively for women. Recently, though, the Gardasil vaccine has been approved for men as well. However, the shot is intended only to prevent genital warts and not as a vaccine against penile cancer. Cancer caused by HPV is less common in men, and penile cancer is particularly rare, with only about 1,500 cases each year. Anal cancer occurs slightly more frequently, with about 1,900 cases annually, but a significant number of these cases are found in men who have sex with men, meaning that people in that demographic should be aware of their vulnerability to complications from HPV.

If you are curious about vaccination, the professionals at McCosh Health Center are extremely knowledgeable regarding the options for men and women. My best recommendation otherwise is to practice the safest sex possible to ease your concerns about infection from HPV. If you are sexually active, that means using barriers like condoms, dental dams, finger cots and gloves to minimize skin-to-skin contact. Women should see their gynecologists for a pap smear by the time they turn 21 and should return every two years for further screening.

- The Sexpert

The Sexpert is written by a team of peer sexual health educators and fact-checked by University health professionals. You can submit questions to sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com. Don't be shy!