It enters the body through tiny breaches in the skin and reproduces in the basal layers of the epithelium (skin). By the time we reach the age of 50, 80% of us have encountered the HPV virus, which is shed from the skin and from mucosal surfaces such as the mouth, the vagina, the urethra (the tube that runs down the centre of the penis), and the anal canal. If there is obvious distress the patient may need a referral for psychosexual counselling. They must not feel ashamed or beat themselves up over it. There’s every chance it will disappear by itself within 2 years. It’s important to try and normalise the situation – they have joined the ranks of the 80% of the population who have it. The patient is often mystified as to where it came from, worried their partner has been unfaithful, full of anxiety about living with the infection in the future and being unable to have a test to show whether it is still present or has disappeared. At least with chlamydia, a patient may know how they got the infection, they can be given a successful antibiotic treatment, and afterwards, a test can be taken to show the infection has cleared. Here, Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, addresses the most common issues about the conditionĭiscussing HPV with a patient in the sexual health clinic is one of the hardest conversations to have. Image: © Hailshadow | iStock HPV is the most common STI in the world, affecting 80% of the population.
