What Is a Human Papillomavirus Infection?
6. How Common Is HPV Infection?
HPV is the most common STI. Because it is so easily spread but not as easily diagnosed, it is likely that everybody who is sexually active will have HPV at some point in their lives, especially if they have multiple partners. While abstinence can serve as an effective prevention, many people don’t consider it a feasible option.
Sexual contact is not required for HPV infection, so even if someone has never had sex or is currently abstaining, transmission can still occur. Even something as simple as touching a surface that has been exposed to HPV, such as a locker room floor or the area around a swimming pool, can put people at risk of infection.
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