Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name of a large group of viruses. Certain types of HPV can cause warts on the hands or feet. About 30 to 40 types can cause infections in the genital area (the vulva, vagina, penis, buttocks, scrotum, and anus).

Genital HPV types are often grouped as “low risk” or “high risk.” Low-risk types can cause genital warts. High-risk types can cause cervical cancer or cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types that can cause cancer. However, if you have warts, you may have also been exposed to the types of HPV that can cause cancer.

Genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the US. Over half of all sexually active men and women become infected with HPV at some time in their lives. Genital HPV is spread easily through skin-to-skin contact during vaginal or anal sex with someone who has the infection. Condoms and other latex barriers do not totally prevent transmission. Most people with HPV do not know they have it because they do not develop symptoms, yet they can still pass it on to someone else.

Nine times out of ten, the body’s immune system clears HPV infection naturally (without treatment) within two years. Because HIV weakens the immune system, people living with HIV (HIV+ people) are more likely to be infected with HPV than HIV-negative people. One study found HPV in more than three out of four HIV+ women. HIV+ women with HPV are also more likely to have:

• Difficulty clearing the infection naturally
• HPV infections that were once under control and come back again
• HPV that responds poorly to standard treatment; multiple therapies using different methods may be needed
• Several types or strains of HPV at once
• Infection with the “high risk” HPV types that can cause cancer
• Higher risk of developing cervical and anal cancer when infected with the “high risk” types

If you have sex, it is important to be checked regularly by your health care provider for signs of HPV such as genital warts or cervical and anal cancer (see Routine Screenings below).

There are two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HPV vaccines: Gardasil and Cervarix. Gardasil is approved for females and males ages 9 to 26. Cervarix is approved for females ages 10 to 25. Both vaccines protect against types of HPV that cause the majority of cervical cancers and genital warts. A recent study also showed that Cervarix provides strong protection against HPV-related anal cancer in women. The vaccines do not protect against less common HPV types. Therefore, health care providers still recommend regular Pap tests to look for signs of cancer.

It is best if young people get the vaccine before their first sexual contact (before they have been exposed to HPV). People who are infected with some types of HPV may still benefit from the vaccine’s effects against other types of HPV. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HPV vaccines for all girls and young women ages 11 through 26 (even if they have already become sexually active). Pregnant women should not receive the vaccine, although it is safe to get the vaccine while breastfeeding. Speak to your health care provider about the HPV vaccine to see if it is right for you.

There are payment assistance programs for people who cannot afford the HPV vaccines; see the resource section of this sheet for contact information.

Regular pelvic and anal exams and Pap tests are very important. While they cannot prevent HPV-related problems, they can help catch warts and dysplasia (abnormal or pre-cancerous cells) before they get worse and cause greater problems.

Studies have shown that, although HIV+ women are at an increased risk for cervical cancer, nearly one in four HIV+ women in the US did not get their recommended yearly Pap tests. It is very important that HIV+ women get routine Pap testing and follow up as needed to identify problems before cancer develops. Prevention is always better – healthier, less painful, and less costly – than treatment.

Even though condoms do not fully protect against HPV, when used correctly they can help reduce the chances that HPV will be spread.

Smoking has been shown to increase the chance of developing several types of cancer including cervical and anal cancers. If you smoke, it is a good idea to try and quit. Talk with your health care provider about stopping smoking – there are many tools to help you quit. You can also find lots of information and support online (http://www.smokefree.gov/).

Certain types of HPV can cause warts on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, or on the penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh. Warts can appear anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after you are exposed to HPV. They can even appear years after exposure.

Symptoms:

• Flesh-colored, pinkish, or white warts that appear as small bumps or groups of bumps. They can be raised or flat, different sizes, and are sometimes shaped like cauliflower.

Diagnosis:

• Health care providers can usually identify genital warts by looking at them
• Sometimes a biopsy is done (a sample of the suspected wart is cut off and examined under a microscope)
• Some health care providers may use a vinegar solution to help identify flat warts, however, this test may sometimes wrongly identify normal skin as a wart

Treatment:

There is no cure for HPV, but genital warts can be treated by removing the wart.

• The following treatments must be done in a health care provider’s office:
  • TCA (trichloracetic acid): A chemical is applied to the surface of the wart
  • Cryotherapy: Freezing off the wart with liquid nitrogen
  • Electrocautery: Burning off the wart with an electrical current
  • Laser therapy: Using an intense light to destroy the wart
  • Excision: Cutting out the wart
• Some treatments can be done at home with prescription creams: Aldara or Beselna (imiquimod), Condylox (podofilox or podophyllotoxin), and Veregen (sinecatechins, or green tea extracts). Because Aldara and Beselna act on the immune system, it is important to talk with your health care provider about the best prescription wart treatment for you if you are HIV+.
• Do not use over-the-counter wart removal products to treat genital warts
• Some wart treatments should not be used by pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding
• Warts can reappear after successful treatment

If left untreated, genital warts may go away, remain unchanged, or increase in size or number. Some people decide not to have treatment right away to see if the warts will go away on their own. When considering treatment options, you and your health care provider may take into account the size, location and number of warts, changes in the warts, your preference, and the side effects of treatment.

Many HIV+ women, especially those with low CD4 cell counts, may not be able to get rid of genital warts using standard treatments. Several different treatments may be needed.

Certain types of HPV can cause abnormal cells to form. This is called dysplasia. The main place dysplasia occurs is on the cervix (entrance to the womb). Other less common areas are the vagina, vulva, and anus. Dysplasia is not cancer, but if left untreated, it can develop into cancer. For this reason, cells with dysplasia are sometimes referred to as pre-cancerous cells.

Screening for dysplasia and cervical cancer is done by using a Pap test (sometimes called a Pap smear). This test checks for changes in the cervix. Cervical cancer usually takes years to develop, but it does not have symptoms until it is quite advanced. This is why getting screened on a regular basis is important; screening can catch potential problems before they get worse. It is especially important for HIV+ women to have regular Pap tests. This is because HIV+ women are more likely to have abnormal Pap tests than HIV-negative women.

Cervical cancer can be life threatening. It is one of the few AIDS-defining conditions specific to women. Fortunately, it can be prevented through early diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms:

• Many women do not experience symptoms
• In very advanced stages, a woman may experience abdominal pain, vaginal discharge, bleeding after having vaginal sex, and bleeding between periods

Diagnosis:

• HIV+ women should have a complete gynecological examination, including a Pap test and a pelvic exam, when they are first diagnosed and when they first seek prenatal care
• HIV+ women should have another Pap test six months later
• If both tests are normal, a repeat Pap smear should be done every year
• HIV+ women with symptoms or who have had dysplasia in the past should receive a Pap smear every six months until they have two normal tests in a row; then they can go back to tests every year
• An abnormal Pap test can indicate inflammation, infection, dysplasia, or cancer
• If you have an abnormal Pap, you may need a colposcopy (an exam of your cervix using a magnifier to look at the tissue more closely) and a biopsy (a small amount of tissue is removed so it can be checked under a microscope for signs of cancer)
• An HPV test can be used along with the Pap test to look for high risk types that may lead to cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions. Speak with your health care provider to see if your pap test includes an HPV test.

Treatment for cervical dysplasia:

If you have dysplasia, discuss treatment choices with your health care provider. Most treatments focus on destroying the abnormal cells so that they do not become cancer.

• Electrocautery: Burning off the cells with an electrical current
• Laser therapy: Using an intense light to destroy the cells
• Cold-knife cone biopsy: Cutting the cells out (an operation)
• LEEP: Loop electrosurgical excision procedure, which uses a thin electrified wire loop to cut out the cells
• Cryotherapy: Freezing the cells with liquid nitrogen
• In cases of mild dysplasia, your health care provider may just monitor the cervix by colposcopy, repeat Pap tests, and/or an HPV test

Cervical dysplasia is more common in HIV+ women with advanced HIV disease and low CD4 cell counts. Cervical dysplasia is often more serious and difficult to treat in HIV+ women than HIV-negative women.

Treatment of cervical cancer:

Cervical cancer is most treatable when it is diagnosed and treated early, so regular Pap tests are extremely important. Treatment depends on the type of cervical cancer and how far it has spread. Often, more than one kind of treatment is used. Treatments include:

• Surgery: Cancer tissue is cut out in an operation
• Chemotherapy: Drugs (pills and/or intravenous medications) are used to shrink or kill the cancer
• Radiation: High-energy rays (similar to X-rays) are used to kill the cancer cells

Certain types or strains of HPV may cause dysplasia and cancer in the anus. Although the risk of developing dysplasia is higher among men who have sex with men, women are also at risk, especially those living with HIV or who have had receptive anal sex with a man.

Symptoms:

• Many women do not experience symptoms
• Anal or rectal bleeding, irritation, itching, or burning
• In very advanced stages, there may be abscesses, lumps, ulcers, and anal discharge

Diagnosis:

• Careful physical examination by a health care provider may be the best way to find anal cancers
• An abnormal anal Pap test may be a sign of dysplasia or cancer
• Your provider may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE), in which she/he slides a lubricated, gloved finger through your anus and into your rectum to feel for abnormal masses
• If you have symptoms, you may need an anoscopy (an exam of the anus using a magnifier to look at the tissue more closely) and a biopsy (tissues are removed so they can be checked under a microscope for signs of cancer)
• It is important to ask your health care provider to check for anal cancer on a regular basis

Treatment for anal dysplasia:

If you have dysplasia, discuss treatment choices with your health care provider. Most treatments focus on destroying the abnormal cells so that they do not become cancer.

• Electrocautery: Burning off the cells with an electrical current
• Laser therapy: Using an intense light to destroy the cells
• Surgery: Using a surgical knife to cut out the cells
• Infrafred coagulation: Using infrared light to cut off the blood supply to and thereby kill the cells
  
• Cryotherapy: Freezing the cells with liquid nitrogen
• In cases of mild dysplasia, your health care provider may just monitor the cervix by colposcopy, repeat Pap tests, and/or an HPV test

Anal dysplasia is more common in HIV+ women than HIV-negative women, especially women with advanced HIV disease and low CD4 cell counts. Anal dysplasia is often more serious and difficult to treat in HIV+ women than HIV-negative women.

Treatment of anal cancer:

Anal cancer is most treatable when it is diagnosed and treated early, so regular exams are extremely important. Treatment depends on the type of anal cancer and how far it has spread. Often, more than one kind of treatment is used. Treatments include:

• Surgery: Cancer tissue is cut out in an operation
• Chemotherapy: Drugs (pills and/or intravenous medications) are used to shrink or kill the cancer
• Radiation: High-energy rays (similar to X-rays) are used to kill the cancer cells

HPV can be very serious for HIV+ people. Since there are frequently no symptoms, getting regular exams from your health care provider is the best way to be sure that any problems are found and treated early.