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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff
Genital warts and related lesions
You can reduce your risk of developing genital warts and other HPV-related genital lesions by:
- Being in a mutually monogamous sexual relationship
- Reducing your number of sex partners
- Using a latex condom, which may prevent some but not all HPV transmission
A vaccine called Gardasil is available for women to prevent HPV infections of types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Ideally, a woman should receive this vaccine before becoming sexually active. The vaccine protects women only from contracting HPV infections of types they haven't already encountered.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the HPV vaccine should be a part of the regular immunization regime for 11- to 12-year-old girls. This vaccine is a powerful new tool in the fight against cervical cancer, and most pediatricians will strongly encourage HPV immunization for girls in the recommended age group.
Most adolescent girls or women who are sexually active will derive some benefit from HPV vaccination. If you've already acquired an HPV infection, it's unlikely that you've encountered all types included in the vaccine. For most people who are at risk of HPV infection, the potential benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh the known risks. Side effects in clinical trials were primarily mild pain at the injection site. Talk to your doctor about getting an HPV vaccination if you believe you're at risk of infection.
HPV vaccination is currently not recommended for boys or men, but the benefit of this immunization strategy is under investigation. Vaccination of males would likely have significant benefit for their future sexual partners.
Common warts
It's difficult to prevent HPV infections that cause common warts. If you have a common wart, you can prevent the spread of the infection and formation of new warts by not picking at a wart and not biting your nails.
Plantar warts
You may reduce the risk of contracting HPV infections that cause plantar warts by keeping your feet clean and dry, wearing clean socks, and wearing shoes or sandals in public pools and locker rooms.
- Human papillomavirus: HPV information for clinicians. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/common-clinicians/ClinicianBro-fp.pdf. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Warts, herpes simplex, and other viral infections. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/118486619-4/0/1195/75.html?tocnode=51441112&fromURL=75.html. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Reichman R. Epidemiology of human papillomavirus infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Cancer facts & figures 2008. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Reichman R. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of human papillomavirus infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Human papillomaviruses and cancer: Questions and answers. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- Reichman R. Treatment and prevention of human papillomavirus infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 30, 2009.
- Reichman RC. Human papillomavirus infections. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2895508&searchStr=human+papillomavirus. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- HPV vaccine information for young women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- The Pap test. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp085.cfm. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5511a1.htm. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
