Communicable Disease

Communicable Disease

We're all human (obviously), which means we are all susceptible to attaining the Human Papillomavirus, also known as HPV. HPV has no obvious symptoms but is indeed dangerous if not detected early enough. HPV is a common STI (sexually transmitted infection) that can not only lead to uncomfortable warts and lesions, but also develop into cancers and tumors. Individuals ought to be aware of how HPV affects them; they should recognize the symptoms, steer free of the causes and risks, and ultimately know what to expect.

HPV is a general term that includes a variety of viruses that vary in severity. Some of the most common HPV's include low-grade 6 and 11 and high-grade 16 and 18. The low-grade HPV's, 6 and 11, are responsible for 90% of genital warts, and some pre-malignant genital lesions. Types of warts include common warts, plantar warts, and flat warts. HPV's 16 and 18 are considered high-grade, meaning they are capable of being fatal by developing into cervical and vaginal cancers and cancer of the vulva. Other symptoms include oral and upper respiratory lesions which can develop on your tongue, tonsils, soft-palate and larynx in your nose. An estimated 11,000 women in the US are diagnosed annually and 3800 die per year. HPV's 16 and 18 are held accountable for about 70% of cervical cancer patients. Often times an individual may have HPV and live life normally, not even noticing the symptoms; with time the warts go away on their own.