Myths and Truths about HPV
Despite advances in sex education and prevention, many myths persist surrounding HPV. Debunking these beliefs is key to promoting prevention and reducing stigma.
Myth: HPV only affects women.
Fact: HPV can affect both men and women, although in men the infection often goes unnoticed because it doesn’t present visible symptoms.
Myth: You can get HPV by sharing objects, using public restrooms, swimming pools, or hot tubs.
Fact: HPV is transmitted exclusively through skin-to-skin and mucous membrane contact during sexual intercourse, whether vaginal, anal, or oral. It is not transmitted by sharing objects or through poor hygiene.
Myth: If there are no symptoms, there is no infection.
Fact: Most people with HPV don’t have visible symptoms, which facilitates its transmission without the infected person knowing.
HPV and its relationship to cancer:
HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer. It is estimated that 99% of cervical cancer cases are related to this virus. In Latin America, the most prevalent genotypes in cervical lesions are HPV 16, present in 53.2% of cases, and HPV 18, with a prevalence of 13.2%.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in young women. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, approximately 4,600 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year in Argentina, and more than 2,200 people die from this disease.
