HPV: Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. Almost 80% of the world’s population is exposed by the age of 50. HPV can cause oropharyngeal, genital, and anal cancers. It also causes genital warts. There is no cure for HPV but vaccines are available to prevent infection by the most common HPV viruses; unfortunately, usage is low. Most people will clear HPV spontaneously. Those who do not are at high risk for developing malignancy. Treatment mainstays are destruction and excision of the lesions.