Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STD in the U.S., with an estimated six million new cases every year. HPV is a family of viruses that are usually passed by close skin-to-skin sexual contact between someone with the infection and their sexual partner.

Some types of HPV cause visible warts, but most do not—and certain types of HPV cause an increased risk for cancer of the cervix, penis, anus and throat.

There is currently no cure for HPV, but many treatments are available to help people manage their HPV symptoms. Doctors can do visual tests to detect warts on the skin (and then remove any warts found), perform an HPV test do a Pap smear to check her cervix (because HPV can cause cells on the cervix to become irregular). Once a doctor makes a diagnosis for HPV, he or she will talk with you about what specific treatments are available to you.

The best way to prevent HPV is to use condoms and other latex barriers during all types of sexual touching. Just keep in mind that condoms may not cover all areas of the skin where the virus is present.

In the U.S. there are two vaccines, Gardasil^® and Cervarix^®, that have been approved to offer protection against HPV. Gardasil has been shown to protect girls and women from the four types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. Both are recommended for females ages 11-26

Gardasil has also been approved for males ages 9-26 and helps protect against most genital warts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that both males and females , receive the vaccine before they have any sexual contact, but anyone in the approved age range who has not been exposed to HPV—meaning they have not tested positive for HPV or had an irregular Pap smear—is also eligible to receive the vaccine.

Cervarix is approved only for females and targets the two strains of HPV that are the leading causes of cervical cancer.

For more information, visit the National HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center or call their hotline at 1-919-361-8488 (Monday-Friday, 8am-8 p.m., EST). You can also check out this Sex, Etc. story, “Messing With Myths About Genital Warts.”