HPV statistics
HPV statistics
Looking for some quick HPV statistics? Alright, let’s cut to the chase. We’ll lay out some of the most important details regarding human papilloma virus in an easy to read Q&A format.
How likely am I to catch HPV?
You are probably going to contract HPV and spread it on to someone else at some point in your life. It’s estimated that over 90% of people contract HPV at some point or another. The good news is that this is no big deal. Most strains of HPV do not lead to any further complications like cancer and so on, and many don’t even show themselves in the form of hand warts or anything.
What are all the strains of HPV?
Too many to list here! However, there are about 250 or so strains of HPV. Most of them are pretty harmless or benign. The most dangerous forms of HPV tend to be somewhat rare, although fifteen types can lead to cancer and other complications, these include; 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, and 73. Unfortunately, these types do not actually show themselves in the form of obvious warts, and this puts more responsibility on the individual to have regular checkups, especially for women. Between three thousand and four thousand women die of cervical cancer every year, with HPV being responsible for around 70% or more of all cervical cancer cases.
How can I reduce the risk of catching genital HPV strains?