“Is HPV considered an STD?”
My friend's boyfriend told her that he has the human papillomavirus, or HPV, recently, and I was actually with him (sexually) before he was diagnosed with this. Is HPV considered an STD? Should I actually get tested to make sure I don't have it? I'm 24 years old and female.
2 Answers
HPV is sexually transmitted and is considered an STD. It sometimes can be cleared without the ability to transmit to a partner, but other times it stays in the body. I would encourage you to get screened, and your OB/GYN can do this. Some HPV is high risk and can lead to oral/rectal/cervical cancer, so screening is important. Gardasil is also a vaccine that can help prevent getting HPV moving forward and I would encourage you to get vaccinated.
Andrew Jameson, MD, FACP, AAHIVS
Andrew Jameson, MD, FACP, AAHIVS
Maira Jessica Medellin-Peña
Infectious Disease Specialist
You should definitely go and get tested for HPV and other sexually transmitted infections. The problem with HPV is that you may not show evidence of the infection but the virus can cause cervical and other cancers in the long run. Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV.
