Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. It’s so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives. Most people who become infected with HPV don’t know they have it, and in 90% of cases it goes away by itself before it causes any health problems.

But sometimes HPV infections persist. These can cause a variety of serious health problems, including cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms until it is quite advanced, so it’s important for women to get regular screenings. Screening tests can find early signs of disease so that problems can be treated before they ever turn into cancer. All women should begin cervical cancer screening at age 21. Women aged 21 to 64 should have a Pap test every 3 – 5 years, according to the American Cancer Society.

January is Cervical Cancer Screening Month. Free cervical cancer screenings are being offered to uninsured women as part of a program by the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, St. John’s Hospital and Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU School of Medicine.  For more information, go to http://www.siumed.edu/news/ReleasesFY14/SCICervicalCancerScreenings.html.

And check out our blog ‘HPV puts men and women at risk for cancer’ to learn why both genders need to guard against the virus.

Source:  Center for Disease Control and http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm

-ss