Human papilloma virus, HPV, causes cervical cancer. About 90% of women who have cervical cancer precursors, or cervical cancer have a chronic HPV infection. The HPV infection in itself is not enough to cause cervical cancer and precursors, but other factors, such as smoking also plays a role. Researchers do not yet know how different factors influence each other.

What is HPV?
HPV is a common name for about 100 different types of viruses. Only a few types of virus causes cervical cancer precursors and later cervical cancer. Other types of virus,  causes for example genital warts, also called condylomas. Genital warts in itself is not cancer, but women with genital warts have a slightly greater risk of having cell changes.

HPV is transmitted sexually
HPV transmission happens by sexually contact and is a very common infection among both women and men. Approximately 80% of all sexually active women will at some point in their lives become infected with HPV. Infection is no symptoms, so you can be infected without knowing it. In order to protect your self from HPV transmission, be sure always to use a condom with partners you do not not for sure is free from the virus.

In most cases the body cure itself HPV infection
HPV infection is most common in women under 30-35 years. In most cases, the body cures itself, so to speak, like the  influenza virus, because most women develop immunity to HPV.

HPV can become chronic
In a small group of women the infection does not disappear, it becomes chronic. These women have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. It often takes several years from becoming infected with the HPV types before they actually develops precursors (and possibly subsequent cervical cancer). Therefore, it is not always possible to know when and by whom they were infected.

HPV testing
The test for HPV virus can be made by your own doctor.

If the test is negative, the probability that the cell changes progressing to cancer, very low. And it is not necessary for further studies.

Is the HPV test is positive, the woman must be examined with a gynecologist.

Stop HPV transmission – alway use a condom and get tested!