HPV is a very common virus that can affect both males and females.
Papillomavirus infection, which is primarily sexually transmitted, is often asymptomatic, so whoever is affected is not aware of it, greatly increasing the risk of transmission of the virus. HPV infection is common, but in most cases it is completely overcome by the body without health consequences. However, when the virus is not spontaneously eliminated, HPV infection persists in the body, and can cause the development of many pathologies, both benign and malignant, that affect both men and women. Almost 80% of women test positive for HPV infection at least once in their life. Its prevalence increases in sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 24, and then decreases throughout the fertile age, increasing again prior to menopause at around 45-52 years of age. What is the reason for this second peak? The answer is not known for sure. There are two expert hypotheses that garner the most credit. The first is that it may be caused by re-activation of the virus that was originally contracted during the first sexual encounters of adolescence. The second is that it may be caused by a change in sexual habits and/or by the sexual encounters had with new partners at an older age.
Contagion occurs through sex, although not necessarily following complete sexual intercourse. In some cases, HPV infection can be transmitted from one person to another many years after one partner has contracted it. Therefore, having an infection may not have anything to do with your current partner, and is not a “sign of infidelity.”
