What it means
The most common sexually transmitted infectionSEK-shoo-uh-lee trans-MIT-id in-FEK-shunAn infection passed from one person to another mainly through sexual contact.Full entry . Most infections clear on their own, but some types cause genital warts and others cause cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, throat, vagina and vulva. A vaccine protects against the main high-risk types; Pap tests and HPV tests screen for early changes in the cervix.
For the nurse
The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine at age 11 to 12 (it can start at 9), with catch-up through age 26. Teach that the vaccine works best before any sexual contact and that people who are vaccinated still need cervical screening.
At a glance
| Spanish | virus del papiloma humano |
|---|---|
| Also written | HPV |
Related terms
vaccine
A product that trains the immune system to protect the body against a specific disease.
sexually transmitted infection
An infection passed from one person to another mainly through sexual contact.
immunization
The process of making a person protected against a disease, most often by giving a vaccine.
cervix
The narrow lower end of the uterus, which opens into the vagina.