Condom use may not help much in preventing transmission of the virus, because it is present in the entire genital area, not just the part that a condom covers. Although the effectiveness of both male and female condoms in preventing HPV transmission is not known, using them with new partners is recommended because they may decrease the risk of transmission. For couples in long-term relationships in which there is a good chance that the virus has already been transmitted, using condoms to prevent HPV transmission is of questionable value. Anyone with a history of genital warts should talk with prospective partners about HPV and other STDs. It is up to each couple to make decisions about condom use together.
Given that most sexually active people have the virus and that most are completely symptom free (though they can still transmit the virus), the most worrisome outcome from an infection with HPV is the increased risk for skin cancer in men and women and for cervical cancer in women. The number of people who develop these complications is relatively small, and appropriate routine screening, such as Pap smears for women, can detect cancer in its earliest stages, when it can be successfully treated. One focus of current research is the development of an effective vaccine to prevent people from becoming infected with HPV In the future, such a vaccine may prevent infection and thereby help prevent cervical cancer and other genital cancers that have been linked to HPV Other vaccines are being developed to treat existing HPV infection.
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