Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus that is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. Most of the time, the body clears the virus. However, people who do not naturally clear the infection may have health problems that develop, including pre-cancers and cancers of the throat and mouth, cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, or anus as well as genital warts. On-time vaccination of 11 and 12 year olds prior to HPV exposure is the best way to prevent these cancers and genital warts.