• What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?
• How common is HPV?
• Who gets genital HPV?
• Does everyone who has HPV get cervical cancer or genital warts?
• If HPV has no signs or symptoms, how can I know I have it?
• How can I decrease my risk of getting genital HPV?

No—for the majority of people who have HPV, the body’s defenses are enough to clear the virus. However, for some people, certain types of the virus can develop into genital warts or benign (abnormal but noncancerous) changes in the cervix.

And for women who don't clear certain types of the virus, abnormal changes can occur in the lining of the cervix. These abnormal cells, if not detected or treated, can lead to precancers and cancer. Most often, the development of cervical cancer can take a number of years, although in rare cases it can happen within a year. That's why early detection is so important. Talk to your healthcare professional about a Pap test (also known as a Papanicolaou smear), which can help detect suspicious cell changes in the cervix.