Without treatment, the Chlamydia infection can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease.

The uterus and surrounding tissues can also become affected resulting in chronic pain, infertility and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies.

The CDC has recommended that women be screened annually for chlamydia.

if an infection is found, the health organization recommends the patient return three months after being treated for a follow-up test.

SAFE SEX CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU

Testing rates were slightly better for older women and specific minority group — 42% of women aged 20 to 25 were tested. more than half of black women say they were been tested with 47% saying they had been screened in the prior year.

Men can contract chlamydia too — one in four show no symptoms while the others may experience symptoms similar to gonorrhea, including burning feeling while urinating, discharge and pain.

Condoms, if used properly, can help prevent infection between partners.

early symptoms of gonorrhea

burning while urinating. check webmd.com

early symptoms: unprotected sex with someone you just picked-up.

penile pain and green or discolored discharge. see a doctor and always use condoms.

To make it easy, I have complied a list of 5 things you can do, before the start of term, to make sure you’re playing smart and safe.

#5. Stock up on safer sex tools.

Add condoms, dental dams, lube and — if you’re at risk — a pregnancy test to your list of things you need. You’re already stocking up on deodorant, toothpaste, hair goop, tampons and other toiletries; how easy is it to walk one isle over and stock up on safer sex tools? it can be embarrassing but it’s more embarrassing to be known as the kid with gonorrhea. Protect yourself.

#4. Take a refresher course on safer sex practices.

It’s sad, but most incoming college freshman might have only had 1 or 2 experiences with sexual education. this is why it’s important for you take sexual education into your own hands.

Websites like Planned Parenthood, Scarlet Teen and the blog that spawned this column, Let’s Talk About Sex, are all available to you with a few clicks of your mouse. These resources exist to help you have a healthy, safe and advantageous sex life. use them.

Let’s Talk About Sex Planned Parenthood Scarlet Teen

#3. See a doctor to get a physical and a full STI/STD panel.

Whenever you’re moving or traveling it’s a smart idea to visit a doctor and have them look under the hood.

Although you might feel fine, there could be any number of medical issues lurking behind the energy and invulnerability of youth.

The average age for guys and girls to have their first sexual experience is 17. So, it’s very likely that you’ve already had sex by the time you arrive on campus. this means you could already have an STI. For a large number of those infected with an STI there are no symptoms.

Testing is quick, easy, painless and, if you have insurance, very inexpensive. if you don’t have insurance, you can contact your local Planned Parenthood to see what free or low-cost services are available to you.

Ladies, this is the time where, if you haven’t already, you should be inquiring about hormonal birth control. There are more options than just “the pill.” There is a shot, implant, patch, diaphragm, cervical ring or an IUD and doctors will be able to discuss them all in depth.

A doctor will also be able to answer any questions you have about your body. a doctor will be able to tell you if your breasts are too droopy, your penis is too small or whether it’s a mole or herpes. if you are unsure of anything, your doctor can help you sort it all out.

#2. Talk to your parents.

I’m sure many of you reading shrieked at the idea of having an open and honest conversation about sexuality with your parents. But your parents are smart people and they have lots of valuable wisdom they can share with you.

If your parents are not comfortable talking about sexual issues, call an aunt, uncle, grandparent or older sibling who would be willing to share their experiences with you.

Just as with sexual education, often the responsibility falls to the student to seek out the firsthand knowledge of our elders. The information is out there, but sometimes you have to ask for it.

#1. Relax.

Sometimes the idea of sex can feel like a tsunami wave crashing into your face, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Sexuality is a huge part of who we are as humans, but it’s not all we are.

This summer, take some time and disconnect from social pressures and influences. Connect with yourself and find out what you really want. if sex is what you want then you already have everything you need to do it smartly. if it isn’t, well… you have the receipts.

If you think you’re ready for sex but haven’t done it yet, it might be a good idea to find a kind and caring friend to help you over the initial hump. that way you can experience sex in a positive and safe atmosphere. People often find once they cross that first line, it helps them make a more balanced decision about their sexual health and desires.

If you think you’re not ready for sex, then don’t have it. Although some people might try to make you feel pressured into having sex before you’re ready, it is ultimately your decision what you want to do. Don’t ever feel pressured into doing something you’re not ready for.

Sex is a big deal. But you don’t have to let it crush you, it’s all a matter of how you handle it. if you take these tips to heart, you can check it off your list early and get back to enjoying your summer. as an evil and homicidal cartoon lion once said:, “Be prepared!”

What is HPV virus & syptoms?Can male also infected from it?From regular comprehansive blood test can you tell?

Only women can be tested and/or vaccinated from HPV.
There are many different kinds of HPV.
It is very common and can be transmitted even when using condoms during sexual intercourse.
It can even be passed on through oral sex, and can lead to throat cancer.
Some variations have few/no symptoms while others can lead to genital warts.
The vaccine (for women only) can prevent the HPV virus from developing and resulting in symptoms and even cancer (if you have a mild form of HPV), and will prevent the acquisition of other forms of HPV.
If you are a guy and aren't sure whether you have it, the only way to confirm this, is to get your partner to get tested.
HPV is permanent an incurable. Prevention is the best way to avoid HPV.

Most people with HPV have no symptoms, but when there are symptoms they include warts and itchiness and color change in skin.

There is a way to test for HPV antibodies in your blood, but this test is exclusively performed in HPV vaccine clincal trials. If you doctor orders conprehensive blood tests, there will no HPV performed. in fact, if you ask your doctor for an HPV blood test, your doctor will most likely tell you that no such test exists.

There is actually no way to reliably determine that anyone is free of HPV.

There also is no blood test that can determine whether you have cancer.

Men can be immunised againse HPV because they can get it just like women do. in men the symptoms are few apart from genital warts. Blood tests are not useful for detecting HPV. Blood test are very poor at diagnosing cancer, some cancers have markers in the blood ,these are useful for following treatment not for diagnosis.

ive been dating the same guy for a year now, hes 18 and im 17, and we have intercorse. frequently. his parents know and his aunt works at the gyno office. although we use condoms w spermicide, she wants me to come in just for a check up and she said shed give me free bc. but ive had sex with other guys before, what if i got something from them? me and my boyfriend have no symptoms or bumps or anything but id die of embarrasment if i had something?

So you'd rather not know? That's very disrespectful to yourself and him – ignorance.

hpv , chlamidia no symtoms at all

I havent gone to the doctor yet, but I've had bladder infection symptoms for a couple weeks and now they are all gone. should I still go to the doctor, or am I fine now?

wtf??? why wouldnt you goto doctors those are vital organs nothing to play around with you could of seriously damaged them and had to piss in a bag for rest of your life

Of course….. dont loss time… go NOW

sure -see your gyn for STD testing & an exam. use condoms & practice better hygeine.

Is there a test a guy can take to see if he has it?

yes.also true for women

guys are always carriers of hpv, not women. dont get me wrong, women can give the disease to men, but we are not carriers. both men and women can have hpv with no symptoms. It is one of the most common std's in the world next to aids. there are soooo many different forms of hpv. really, i dont think there is a proven test on guys to detect hpv unless there are physical signs. even condoms dont protect you 100 percent from this disease…..so PLEASE be careful.

men and women both can have this and never exibit symptoms

Some HPV types cause benign skin warts, or papillomas, for which the virus family is named. HPVs associated with the development of common warts are transmitted environmentally or by casual skin-to-skin contact.

A separate group of HPVs are typically transmitted through sexual contact. some sexually-transmitted HPVs, such as types 6 and 11, can cause genital warts. however, most HPV types that infect the genitals tend not to cause noticeable symptoms. Persistent infection with a subset of about a dozen sexually-transmitted HPVs, including types 16 and 18, can lead to the development of cancer of the cervix. HPV infection is a necessary factor in the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer (Walboomers 1999). some cancer-causing HPV types (particularly HPV-16) are also believed to cause a substantial fraction of other genital cancers, as well as some cancers of the mouth, throat and anus (Parkin 2006).

Notable HPV types and associated diseasesGenital HPV infection is very common, with estimates suggesting that up to 75% of women will become infected with one or more sexually-transmitted HPV types at some point during adulthood (Baseman 2005). although condoms are highly effective for preventing the transmission of other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), recent studies have concluded that condoms only offer limited protection against the transmission of genital HPVs (Holmes 2004). This may be due to the fact that HPVs can infect genital skin areas that are not covered by condoms.

Cervical Pap smear testing is used to detect HPV-induced cellular abnormalities. This allows targeted surgical removal of pre-cancerous lesions prior the development of invasive cervical cancer. In the absence of Pap testing or treatment, about 1% of women with genital HPV infections will eventually go on to develop cervical cancer. although the widespread use of Pap testing has reduced the incidence and lethality of cervical cancer in developed countries, the disease still kills several hundred thousand women per year worldwide. It is hoped that a recently-approved HPV vaccine that blocks initial infection with several of the most common sexually-transmitted HPV types will lead to further decreases in the incidence of HPV-induced cancer (Lowy and Schiller 2006).

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HPV-induced diseases
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Skin warts
Common warts: some "cutaneous" HPV types, such as HPV-1 and HPV-2, cause common skin warts. Common warts are often found on the hands and feet, but can also occur in other areas, such as the elbows or knees. Common warts have a characteristic cauliflower-like surface and are typically slightly raised above the surrounding skin. Cutaneous HPV types do not usually cause genital warts and are not associated with the development of cancer.
Plantar warts are found on the soles of the feet. Plantar warts closely resemble common warts.
Subungual or periungual warts form under the fingernail (subungual), around the fingernail or on the cuticle (periungual). they may be more difficult to treat than warts in other locations.
Flat warts: Flat warts are most commonly found on the arms, face or forehead. Like common warts, flat warts occur most frequently in children and teens. In people with normal immune function, flat warts are not associated with the development of cancer.
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Genital warts
Genital or anal warts (condylomata acuminata or venereal warts) are the most easily recognised sign of genital HPV infection. although a wide variety of HPV types can cause genital warts, types 6 and 11 account for about 90% of all cases (Greer 1995)(Gearheart et al, 2004). most people who acquire genital wart-associated HPV types clear the infection rapidly without ever developing warts or any other symptoms. People may transmit the virus to others even if they don't display overt symptoms of infection.

It is important to note that HPV types that tend to cause genital warts are NOT the same ones that cause cervical cancer.

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Cancer

Genome organization of human papillomavirus type 16, one of the subtypes known to cause cervical cancer. (E1-E7 early genes, L1-L2 late genes: capsid)About a dozen HPV types (including types 16, 18, 31 and 45) are called "high-risk" types because they can cause cervical cancer, anal cancer, vulvar cancer, head and neck cancers, and penile cancer. High-risk HPV types can cause intraepithelial neoplasias, or abnormal and precancerous cell growth, which can progress to cancer. HPV-induced cancers often have viral sequences integrated into the cellular DNA. some of the HPV "early" genes, such as E6 and E7, are known to act as oncogenes that promote tumor growth and malignant transformation.

A history of infection with one or more high-risk HPV types is believed to be a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer; according to the American Cancer Society, women with no history of the virus do not develop this type of cancer. however, most HPV infections are cleared rapidly by the immune system and do not progress to cervical cancer. because the process of transforming normal cervical cells into cancerous ones is slow, cancer occurs in people who have been infected with HPV for a long time, usually over a decade or more (Greenblatt, 2005; Sinal and Woods, 2005).

Sexually-transmitted HPVs also cause a major fraction of anal cancers and a small fraction of cancers of the mouth and upper throat (known as the oropharynx) (see figure). Engaging in anal sex or oral sex may increase the risk of developing these types of cancers.

HPV-induced cancersAlthough it has been proposed that HPV may induce other forms of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer, a causal relationship between HPV infection and these cancer types has not yet been firmly established.

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Respiratory papillomatosis
HPV types 6 and 11 can cause a rare condition known as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, in which warts form on the larynx or other areas of the respiratory tract (Wu et al., 2003; Sinal and Woods, 2005). these warts can recur frequently, may require repetitive surgery, may interfere with breathing, and in extremely rare cases can progress to cancer (Moore et al., 1999; Sinal and Woods, 2005).

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Epidemiology
[edit]
Cutaneous HPVs
Infection with cutaneous HPVs is ubiquitous (Antonsson 2000). some HPV types, such as HPV-5, may establish infections that persist for the lifetime of the individual without ever manifesting any clinical symptoms. Like remora suckerfish that hitchhike harmlessly on sharks, these HPV types can be thought of as human commensals. Other cutaneous HPVs, such as HPV types 1 or 2, may cause common warts in some infected individuals. Skin warts are most common in childhood and typically appear and regress spontaneously over the course of weeks to months. about 10% of adults also suffer from recurring skin warts. all HPVs are believed to be capable of establishing long-term "latent" infections in small numbers of stem cells present in the skin. although these latent infections may never be fully eradicated, immunological control is thought to block the appearance of symptoms such as warts. Immunological control is likely HPV type-specific, meaning that an individual may become immunologically resistant to one HPV type while remaining susceptible to other types.

[edit]
Genital HPVs

A large increase in the incidence of genital HPV infection occurs when individuals begin to engage in sexual activity (see figure). The great majority of genital HPV infections never cause any overt symptoms and are spontaneously cleared by the immune system in a matter of months. as with cutaneous HPVs, immunity is believed to be HPV type-specific. a subset of infected individuals may fail to bring genital HPV infection under immunological control. Lingering infection with high-risk HPV types, such as HPVs 16, 18, 31 and 45, can lead to the development of cervical cancer or other types of cancer (Schiffman and Castle 2005). High-risk HPV types 16 and 18 are together responsible for over 70% of cervical cancer cases (Baseman and Koutsky, 2005; Cohen, 2005). Type 16 causes 41 to 54% of cervical cancers (Noel et al., 2001; Baseman and Koutsky, 2005) and accounts for an even greater majority of HPV-induced vaginal/vulvar cancers (Edwards et al., 2005), penile cancers, anal cancers and head and neck cancers (Bolt et al., 2005).

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Perinatal transmission
Although genital HPV types are sometimes transmitted from mother to child during birth, the appearance of genital HPV-related diseases in newborns is rare. Perinatal transmission of HPV types 6 and 11 can result in the development of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP). JORRP is very rare, with rates of about 2 cases per 100,000 children in the United States (Sinal and Woods 2005). although JORRP rates are substantially higher if a woman presents with genital warts at the time of giving birth, the risk of JORRP in such cases is still less than 1%.

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Prevention
Most people become infected with various cutaneous HPV types during childhood. Papillomaviruses have a sturdy outer protein shell or "capsid" that renders them capable of lingering in the environment for long periods of time. Avoiding contact with contaminated surfaces, such as the floors of communal showers or airport security lines, might reduce the risk of cutaneous HPV infection. Treating common warts soon after they first appear may also reduce the spread of the infection to additional sites.

Genital HPV infections may be distributed widely over genital skin and mucosal surfaces, and transmission can occur even when there are no overt symptoms. Several strategies should be employed to minimize the risk of developing diseases caused by genital HPVs:

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Pap smear
Main article: Pap smear
Papanicolaou screening, colloquially known as "Pap" smear testing, is an effective strategy for reducing the risk of invasive cervical cancer. In March 2003, the US FDA approved HPV DNA testing as a primary screening tool for detecting high-risk HPV infections that may lead to cervical cancer. The HPV DNA test, which is marketed by Digene, can also serve as an adjunct to Pap smear testing, and may be ordered in response to abnormal Pap smear results. Detailed inspection of the cervix by colposcopy may be indicated if abnormal cells are detected by routine Pap smear.

It has been suggested that Pap smear screening for anal cancer might be of benefit for relatively promiscuous individuals, for example some sub-populations of gay men (Chin-Hong 2005).

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Vaccine
Main article: HPV vaccine
On June 8th, 2006, the FDA approved Gardasil, a prophylactic HPV vaccine developed by Merck. The vaccine protects women against initial infection with HPV types 16 and 18, which together cause 70 percent of cervical cancers. The vaccine also protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of genital warts. The vaccine will cost about $360 for the three-shot course. The high cost may impair its benefits, particularly in less developed countries. Women aged nine through twenty-six can be vaccinated. GlaxoSmithKline is expected to seek approval for a prophylactic vaccine targeting HPV types 16 and 18 early in 2007. since the vaccine will not protect women against all the HPV types that cause cervical cancer, it will be important for women to continue to seek Pap smear testing, even after receiving the vaccine.

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Avoiding risky sexual behavior
The fact that prostitutes have much higher rates of cervical cancer than nuns was a key early observation leading researchers to speculate about a causal link between sexually-transmitted HPVs and cervical cancer. It remains clear that people with greater numbers of sexual partners are at increased risk of developing genital HPV-related diseases. Co-infection with other sexually-transmitted pathogens, such as HIV, may also increase the risk of developing HPV-related diseases.

Condoms offer at most a limited degree of protection against the initial transmission of HPV infections (Holmes 2004). On the other hand, some studies have suggested that regular condom use can effectively limit the ongoing persistence and spread of HPV to additional genital sites in individuals who are already infected (Moscicki 2005)(Bleecker 2005) [1]. Thus, condom use may reduce the risk that infected individuals will progress to cervical cancer or develop additional genital warts. both Planned Parenthood and the Centers for Disease Control recommend condom use to reduce the risk of HPV-related diseases.

Ongoing research has suggested that several inexpensive chemicals might serve to block HPV transmission if applied to the genitals prior to sexual contact (Howett 2005). these candidate agents, which are known as topical microbicides, are currently undergoing clinical efficacy testing.

[edit]
Avoiding smoking
Tobacco smoking increases the risk of developing of invasive cervical cancer, as well as other HPV-induced cancers. This is one of a large number of reasons not to smoke

yes so can women, just talked to my doc about it the other day

Yes, men pass it to women a lot usually not aware that they have the virus because they are not showing and signs or symptoms. there currently is no test for men to detect HPV. Men usually find out they have HPV by developing genital warts, hand or feet warts.

Women can also pass the virus by showing no signs or symptoms. Women usually find out they have the virus by having an abnormal pap smear come back or developing genital warts.

It can take years to develop any symptoms of the virus. I got HPV about 5 years ago. After a year I developed cervical cancer and about 6 months ago I got genital warts. so it can take months, if not years, to show any symptoms.

I'm a guy and I got a couple bumps down there. I had them froze off.. Guess what, they grew right back… I could care-less about them. Guess what again – I always wore a condon, cuz I'm scared of cathcing HIV, and still ended up catching HPV..
Life is to short to worry about that stuff. Count my blessing its not HIV…

Most men who get genital HPV do not have any symptoms.

However, some types of HPV can cause genital warts.

At the moment, there is no test approved to detect HPV in men. however, there are ways to detect the most common problem caused by HPV in men, genital warts. Genital warts are usually diagnosed by visual inspection. some health care providers may use a vinegar solution to help identify flat warts, although this test is not specific for warts. that means the test may falsely identify normal skin as a wart.

Yes, and the same goes for women too. In fact, thats how I initially got genital warts – but I did some research and found a way that worked for me to beat them.

genitalwartsreport.com

yes and they can't be tested unless there r symptoms.

Obviously I know I should go see a doctor since I have some disturbing symptoms, but I'm wondering how long you can go between being infected with HPV and showing symptoms. I can honestly say that I have NEVER had unprotected sex, but about a month ago, I noticed a small bump, and now I've noticed a few more. I also haven't had sex in quite a while, atleast not that kind.. so I'm really quite confused as to when this might have occured (especially since I keep in contact with the majority of my sexual partners).

HPV is transmitted by skin to skin contact so condoms DO NOT prevent it. the warts usually appear a few weeks or even a couple months after exposure. Herpes can also be transmitted despite the presence of a condom. Skin to skin contact involves the contact between her outer labia and your scrotum, upper thighs, and anything not covered by the condom.

HPV never heard of that one

It can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. I have had HPV for over 5 years, and I got genital warts from it about 7 months ago. It took four and 1/2 years to notice any visible symptoms of the virus!

Also, HPV can be spread even if the guy wears a condom. Genital warts caused by HPV can appear all over the genital area, not just the part covered by the condom. If you were to have slept with a guy who had genital warts then you could have possibly got it from that guy.

Please see the webpages for more details on Human papilloma virus (Genital warts). the other webpages related to Herpes simplex virus (Genital herpes).
One fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused by a chronic infection, for example human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver cancer.
Genital herpes cannot be cured. once infected, the virus stays in the body for the rest of the individual's life. Research suggests that the virus can be transmitted even when there are no symptoms present, so that a sexual partner without obvious genital herpes sores may still transmit the illness. in fact, asymptomatic spread may actually contribute more to the spread of genital herpes than do active sores.

I was diagnosed with HPV when I was five months pregnant. Itr started with what I thought was a scab. the following month I had a terrible case. I think it depends on the person and their immune system

The deadly sexual disease which was almost eliminated in the West is keeping doctors busy nowadays. The sexual transmitted disease (STD), Syphilis is causing concern mainly in the high income countries. In UK, in the year 1997, number of cases was 307, jumped to 3,702 in 2006, which signifies a jump of 1,200 percent.

Syphilis is rising in countries like Dublin, Berlin, London, Rotterdam and Paris. according to Centers of Disease Control, rises have also been witnessed in Canada, Australia, US and New Zealand.

The main reason behind rise these sexually transmitted diseases (STD) due to sex among the increasing gay and bisexual population. Men, who have sex with men, are increasingly giving rise to the problem. It was in 1980s and 1990s, that people became more concerned about sexually transmitted disease out of fear from deadly HIV. Sexually active younger generations and heterosexual took greater care of their health by taking their partners to doctor and using condoms.

With arrival of some of the antiretroviral drugs, scenario almost changed as people became confident that HIV is totally curable, and this perception among people initiated the problem once more. People started indulging in sexual intercourse without any protection, leading to rise in sexual infections, including syphilis.

According to Centers for Disease Control, there has been tremendous shift to the population who are infected with these disease in United States. In the last 30 years, it shifted from gay men to poor black heterosexual and then again back to gay population. 

The Bowdoin condoms always break. is there something wrong with the ONE condoms?

We hear this question a lot. I asked Director of Health Services Sandra Hayes to comment on the effectiveness of the ONE condoms. she confirmed the ONE website’s assertion that the condoms are as effective as other leading manufacturers.

They do not break or tear any more than other brands and are just as effective in protecting against unwanted pregnancy and many sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

When you think about it, why would Bowdoin buy bad condoms? I think high numbers of unwanted pregnancy and STIs would put an unwelcome message in our College brochures. That being said, there are a couple reasons why a ONE condom?or any condom?might break.

The most prominent reason is improper application, which make condoms more prone to breaking or becoming ineffective. think back to your middle school health unit and skip past the giggles straight to putting condoms on bananas.

Now, there are some key points in that demonstration that you may not remember maybe because that particular day, you liked the cutest boy in school and made the mistake of telling that social climber Devon, who told all the the popular girls who, with all the cattiness that exemplifies preadolescence, made your day unbearable.

So maybe, just maybe, you were a bit preoccupied. Here we go again: tips for proper condom application. one: Check the expiration date. Two: Pinch the tip of the condom while applying to allow for the collection of ejaculate. Three: Get all of the air bubbles out while rolling down the condom.

Look?safe sex is as easy as one, two, three. however, it is important to remember that this can be a lot harder while intoxicated.

Bowdoin is so small and I feel like I would know if the person I am going to hook up with has an STI. am I wrong?

Once again, I asked for Hayes’ assistance in answering this question. Bowdoin does not have a major problem with STIs because of free condoms and STI testing at the Health Center at a student’s request as well as STI screening days.

That being said, Bowdoin is not exempt from STIs.

“We are on par with national statistics?HPV being the number one STI and chlamydia being the number two,” said Hayes. but, other STIs have also been reported to the Health Center. Nationally, one in four college students has an STI.

More than 45 percent of college first years did not consider using contraception after binge drinking and 15 percent of them contracted and/or spread an STI, according to Education Training and Research Associates. Interestingly, more than half of college students said they could tell a person had an STD just by looking.

Now, I realize that Bowdoin students are probably not the average college student, but nonetheless, these statistics can apply. In addition, our Bowdoin bubble is tightly knit, but it is not a closed community and, despite what some may think, Bowdoin students do not only have sex with other Bowdoin students. To be frank, it is always better to be safe.

Many STIs do not manifest physical symptoms, so your partner may not even know if he or she has one.

If you plan on being sexually active, the safest course of action is to get yourself and your potential partner tested beforehand at the Health Center.

However, I understand this cannot always be the case, so protection is a good call. Not only do condoms help prevent the transmission of most STIs, they also protect against unwanted pregnancy, which is not unheard of at Bowdoin.

If you or someone you know is worried about potentially having an STI or being pregnant, you can contact the Health Center and ask for an appointment or go to planned Parenthood in Topsham.

What is HPV?

HPV or Human Papillomavirus is the most common STI in the U.S. the virus has 200 known strands, the majority of which show no symptoms or detrimental effects in humans.

however, some can cause warts, genital and otherwise, and a smaller minority can lead to cancers in both men and women. In fact, HPV is the cause of almost all cervical cancers.

One of the major differences between HPV and some other sexually transmitted infections is that it can be transferred through the skin; either skin-to-skin contact or, in some strands, skin to an infected surface are enough to contract the virus.

The Gardasil vaccine, one of two vaccines available now, prevents the contraction of four types of HPV. Two are the most common strands leading to cancer.

The other two cause most cases of genital warts. In the US, both men and women can get the vaccine, but the vaccine is only preventative and cannot kill the existing virus if already contracted.

our bodies do a good job fighting HPV as adolescents, but as we age our resistance diminishes. a screening could never hurt and is still recommended, even for those with the vaccine.

I hope that clears up any confusion about the infection. its quite a big topic, so if you are still confused talk to the health center or check out the CDC website’s HPV fact sheet.

If you have any questions about this or any other health related topics, feel free to email or drop a letter in my SU box number 456.