HPV Frequently Asked Questions

The vaccine provides the best immune response at this age. Also, once you get the virus, the vaccine is less effective. So it's important for males and females to get the vaccine before they become sexually active. Two shots are needed before age 15. After age 15, three shots are necessary for the vaccine to be effective.

The HPV vaccine is safe and effective. Side effects may include the same side effects as any shot: temporary pain or swelling at the injection site and dizziness. No research links the HPV vaccine to earlier or increased sexual activity in boys or girls.

There is no cure for the HPV virus. However, you can vaccinate yourself and your
children against the virus.

Yes. Beginning at age 30, women should be screened for the HPV virus every five years, at the same as their Pap test. Women who choose not to get screened for HPV should get a Pap test every three years, even if they have been vaccinated against HPV.

There is no screening exam to detect HPV-related throat cancers in men or women.  Anal HPV, anal precancer, and anal cancer can be screened for with anal screening. This is recommended for high-risk populations such as men who are HIV-positive and men who have sex with men.

Some strains of HPV can cause genital and anal warts. These are not the same strains that cause cancer. HPV doesn't have any other symptoms.

The two-dose vaccine is most effective when given at age 11-12, before a person is exposed to HPV. Beginning at age 15 and up to age 45, males and females require three doses for the vaccine to be effective. The vaccine is not recommended for adults age 46 and older.

The HPV virus can cause cancers of the throat (oropharynx), penis, and anus in men. It can also cause genital and anal warts.

The HPV virus causes about 90% of cervical cancers in women. The virus also causes anal, tonsil and tongue, vaginal and vulvar cancers, and genital and anal warts.

There are about 150 types of HPV. The strains are divided into high-risk and low-risk. There are at least 12 high-risk strains of HPV. Two of those strains – 16 and 18 – cause the majority of HPV-related cancers. These can include cancers of the anus, cervix, penis, vagina and vulva. They can also cause cancers of the throat. Low-risk strains of HPV often disappear from the body on their own. They don't cause cancer, but they can cause warts in the genital or anal areas, and in the mouth and throat. Most of these warts are caused by strains 6 and 11.