What is HPV? HPV is a virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), that is associated with cervical cancer. How is HPV contracted? HPV is contracted through sexual contact, but this is not the only way. Between 70-80% of women will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime, and the majority of infections are cleared by the immune system within 2 years. How is HPV infection treated? There is no specific drug for HPV, but cervical cytology should be done. If the cytology is not abnormal, regular monitoring is sufficient and no treatment for HPV is needed. Can I get cancer if I am infected with HPV? Not all people infected with HPV will cause cervical cancer. Only persistent infection with high-risk HPV types will cause some people to progress to malignant lesions. HPV persistent infection is defined as two consecutive detections of the same high-risk HPV type more than one year apart. HPV infection also causes: genital warts, vulvar cancer, penile cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, anal cancer and other diseases. How can HPV infection be prevented? Scientists have developed a vaccine against high-risk types of the virus, which can be injected to produce antibodies to avoid HPV infection. What is the age for HPV vaccination? The FDA-approved age is 9-26 years old, with an optimal age of 11-12 years old. The age limit is not absolute, and the HPV vaccine works best for women with no history of sexual activity. Can the HPV vaccination prevent cervical cancer? The current vaccine can only prevent a portion of high-risk HPV infections, but not all HPV infections. The vaccine has no curative effect on HPV infections that are already present. Regular screening for cervical cancer is still necessary after vaccination.