HPV symptoms: Three visible signs to look out for warning of the infection

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 200 related viruses, some of which are spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Sexually transmitted HPV types fall into two groups, low risk and high risk.

HPV can infect cells in the vagina and around the vulva. If a female has low risk HPV, they may see warts on the vulva, said Medical News Today.

The health site added: “These warts may present as:

• A cluster that looks like a cauliflower
• A scatter of bumps that are darker than unaffected skin
• Growths that may be raised, flat, smooth, or rough.

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Warts are usually indicative of low-risk HPV.

A specific type of vulvar cancer may present as cauliflower-like growths, so a person should speak to a doctor if they see any unusual growths around the vulva.

Without treatment, high risk HPV may cause vaginal or vulvar cancer.

Females may not experience any symptoms when they have precancerous cells or during the early stages of vaginal or vulvar cancer.

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Cancers linked to high-risk HPV include:

Cervical cancer

Anal cancer

Cancer of the penis

Vulval cancer

Vaginal cancer

Some types of head and neck cancer.

You cannot fully protect yourself against HPV, but there are things that can help, said the NHS.

According to the national health body, these include:

Condoms can help protect you against HPV, but they do not cover all the skin around your genitals, so you’re not fully protected.

The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that cause most cases of genital warts and cervical cancer, as well as some other cancers. It does not protect against all types of HPV.

The HPV vaccine is leading to such dramatic reductions in cervical cancer that those who receive it may only need one smear test in their lives, according to a leading cancer prevention scientist.

The academic director of King’s Clinical Trials Unit, Prof Peter Sasieni, said the screening programme – which currently needs to be performed every three to five years – could soon change due to the encouraging results from the new HPV vaccine.

He told BBC Radio 4: “This is really exciting…. [The HPV vaccine] protects against even more types of the virus, and I think with that probably one screen would be enough, maybe two, over a lifetime.”

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