Yes, HPV (human papillomavirus) is a sexually transmitted infection, which is the modern medical term for what used to be called a venereal disease. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world, with about 13 million new infections occurring in the United States each year. Nearly everyone who is sexually active will get HPV at some point in their lives.
Why the Term “Venereal Disease” Changed
“Venereal disease” is the older term for what doctors and public health agencies now call sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. The shift in language happened for a practical reason: many of these infections, HPV included, can be present without causing any disease or symptoms at all. Calling them “infections” rather than “diseases” is more accurate, since most people with HPV never develop warts, cancer, or any other visible problem. MedlinePlus lists “venereal disease” as a direct synonym for STI, and HPV is one of more than 20 infections on that list.
How HPV Spreads
HPV spreads most commonly during vaginal or anal sex, but it also passes through close skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity and through oral sex. This makes it different from infections like HIV or gonorrhea, which require the exchange of body fluids. Because HPV lives in skin cells rather than in blood or semen, condoms reduce the risk but don’t eliminate it. The virus can infect areas a condom doesn’t cover, like the surrounding skin of the genitals, the anus, or the mouth and throat.
A person with HPV can pass it to a partner even when they have no warts, no symptoms, and no idea they’re infected. This silent transmission is a major reason the virus is so widespread.
What HPV Does in the Body
There are many strains of HPV, and they fall into two broad categories. Low-risk types, particularly types 6 and 11, cause genital warts. These warts can appear on or around the genitals, anus, mouth, or throat. They’re not dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable and distressing.
High-risk types are the ones that concern doctors most. There are 12 high-risk strains, and two of them, types 16 and 18, are responsible for most HPV-related cancers. These cancers can develop in the cervix, anus, throat, penis, vagina, or vulva. The progression from infection to cancer is slow, typically taking years or even decades, which is why screening can catch problems early.
The good news is that roughly 90% of HPV infections clear on their own within 6 to 18 months. Your immune system recognizes and eliminates the virus without any treatment. It’s the small percentage of infections that persist for years that can eventually lead to precancerous changes.
Testing and Diagnosis
HPV testing has a significant limitation: there is no approved test to check a person’s overall “HPV status.” The FDA has only approved tests that detect HPV in the cervix, which means routine HPV screening is available for women but not for men. For men, HPV is typically discovered only when genital warts appear or when a doctor recommends anal screening for those at higher risk. Research into male genital HPV testing is ongoing, but no standard option exists yet.
Another complication is that an HPV test result can change over months or years as infections clear and new ones are acquired. A negative test today doesn’t guarantee you’ve never had the virus or won’t get it later.
Cervical Cancer Screening
Because high-risk HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer, regular screening is one of the most effective tools for prevention. Current guidelines recommend Pap tests every three years starting at age 21. From age 30 to 65, you have several options: an HPV test every five years, a combined HPV and Pap test every five years, or a Pap test alone every three years. The American Cancer Society’s updated guidelines suggest starting with HPV testing at age 25 and repeating it every five years through age 65.
If you’ve been screened regularly with normal results, your doctor will likely tell you screening can stop after 65. If your recent results were abnormal or you haven’t been screened consistently, continued testing may be recommended.
The HPV Vaccine
The HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) protects against nine strains of the virus: the seven high-risk types that cause most HPV-related cancers and the two low-risk types responsible for most genital warts. It is recommended as a routine vaccination at age 11 or 12, though it can be given as early as 9. Anyone through age 26 who wasn’t vaccinated earlier should still get it.
For adults between 27 and 45 who missed the vaccine, it’s still an option worth discussing with a healthcare provider, though it’s less likely to provide as much benefit since most people in that age range have already been exposed to at least some HPV strains.
The dosing schedule depends on when you start. Children who begin the series before age 15 need only two doses, spaced 6 to 12 months apart. Those who start at 15 or older need three doses over six months. People with weakened immune systems also receive three doses regardless of age.
Why HPV Is So Common
Several features of HPV make it nearly impossible to avoid entirely if you’re sexually active. It spreads through skin contact, not just intercourse. It produces no symptoms in most people, so carriers don’t know they’re infectious. Condoms help but can’t fully prevent it. And there’s no routine test that catches every infection in every body site. All of these factors together explain why the CDC describes HPV as something nearly everyone will encounter. The virus is common enough that having it carries no stigma in the medical world. What matters is staying current on vaccination and screening so that the small fraction of infections with cancer potential are caught long before they become dangerous.