Human Papilloma Virus referred to as HPV is not a well known virus as HIV or Human Immuno-deficiency Virus but it is certainly more prevalent in sexually active persons. According to the Washington Post, millions of persons in the United States are infected with the HPV where 1 out of 3 girls and women are infected by the age of 24. Men are also infected even though they perform “safe sex” since it is not only sexually transmitted but it is shared through genital contact where there is exposure of the skin that is not protected by the condom.
From a US study using college students it was found that more than 50% of this category of persons acquired HPV in the first year to fourth year of college after having their first sexual experience. This virus spreads at a rapid rate simply because there are no symptoms and no direct tests as yet to confirm that you’ve got HPV especially in men. Hence persons can be sharing HPV in their blissful folly without having a clue of what’s happening since their doomed sexual encounter raises its ugly consequences years later.
There are no local studies on HPV prevalence in Guyana but one can extrapolate using our emerging social behavioural patterns that persons with multiple sexual partners are more exposed to getting HPV.
The consequences of this virus is mostly evident in women later on in life where the most detrimental effect of cervical cancer is seen most times resulting in death if early diagnosis is missed.
The Ministry of Health, having recognised the high incidence of cervical cancers in Guyana, has recently launched a screening programme at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation which all sexually active women are encouraged to utilise.
As indicated earlier, diagnosis and treatment for the consequences of HPV are available. So a Pap smear for sexually active females is highly recommended to detect if there is cervical cancer. Once there is early detection you can save a life from cervical cancer.
Fortunately or unfortunately there is no similar test for men as yet since the consequences of HPV in men such as genital warts, penile cancer and anal cancer (the latter found in some of the gay population) are not prevalent.
Penile and anal cancers are very rare but treatment using chemotherapy and or radiation can assist such persons. Less life threatening conditions such as genital warts can be treated using either prescription cream, freezing or surgical removal method.
IT MUST BE NOTED THERE IS NO TREATMENT OR CURE FOR HPV. YOU CAN EITHER PREVENT HPV INFECTION OR TREAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE INFECTION BUT YOU CANNOT TREAT HPV.
    The one and only full proof method of prevention is abstinence.
    Having a monogamous relationship will certainly reduce your exposure but if your partner had already acquired HPV even from one prior risky sexual encounter then he or she could still pass it on to you if the body did not fight it off or if it remained dormant in their system.
    As mentioned earlier, even safe sex or using a condom during sexual intercourse with an infected HPV person can still lead to you acquiring the virus since there is skin or genital contact which the condom does not cover. However using a condom is better than no condom at all.
Vaccines have been developed for use only in young girls from age 9-26 years before they start sexual activity which will give coverage against HPV for a minimum period of five years. However, these vaccines are not approved for use in males since it first has to be deemed safe and effective. 
Some points to keep in mind:
    There are more than 100 types of HPV.
    The human body can fight off some types of these viruses by itself. HPV in men may clear more easily than in women; it can take as long as two (2) years to clear a woman’s system.
    HPV 16 and HPV 18 are the strains responsible for cervical cancer later on in a woman’s life.
    There are different strains responsible for genital warts, penile and anal cancer.
    HPV is asymptomatic so you will not get any sign that you have acquired it.
    The virus can remain dormant in the body and then become activated after some time.
    At least 50 % of persons who are sexually active will acquire HPV at some point in their lives and they still will not know it because it is asymptomatic.
So as responsible adults let’s try to think of the consequences of our action both on short and long term basis so that we will make the right decisions in life. It is good to initiate such discussions with your partners who may or may not know this information so you can make your small contribution to a gigantic problem inevitably reducing the stats and leading a healthy lifestyle. 
For further information please call the pharmacist at Medicine Express located at 223 Camp Street, between Lamaha and New Market Streets. If you have any queries, comments or further information on the above topic kindly forward them to medicinexpress@gmail.com or send them to 223 Camp Street, N/burg. Tel #225-5142.