HPV is the most commonly spread STI in the world and approximately 75% of people who are having sex will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. There are over 100 strains for HPV. Low-risk strains of HPV, which can cause genital warts, often go away on their own. Higher-risk strains can cause cancer.
Many people who get HPV will not even realize it, since most types of HPV cause no visible signs or symptoms. HPV is very contagious and can be spread by skin-to-skin contact in the genital area or during genital, anal, or oral sex. HPV causes almost all cases cervical cancer in females and almost all cases of head and neck cancers in males under 40 in Alberta.