HPV, or human papillomavirus has been making headlines. With Gardasil, hitting the market last year, countless commercials and magazines are advertising the HPV vaccine. Their "one less" campaign has become commonplace. Just what is HPV though? Here are the facts, the ones you may already know, and the ones they don't tell you.

HPV has over 100 strains, of these over 30 of the strains are sexually transmitted. Of the sexually transmitted strains, there are two categories: low risk strains and high risk strains which if left untreated can lead to cervical cancer.

HPV Fact #1 - HPV is not screened for in a STD test

Although HPV is technically a STD, it is not screened for in a typical STD test. Even if you think you are being responsible and getting a STD test before having unprotected sex, you may still catch HPV since it is not tested for.

HPV Fact #2 - There are normally no symptoms

Unless you are in the later stages of cervical cancer where you may experience abnormal bleeding or increased vaginal discharge or have a low risk strain of HPV that causes genital warts, there are really no signs of HPV infection. The only way a woman will find out if she has HPV is through an abnormal pap screening. If abnormal cells are found, the doctor will perform a HPV test by taking a sample of cervical cells. All women are not routinely tested for HPV because of the high number of false positives and false negatives.

HPV Fact #3 - There is not a HPV test for men

At press time, there does not exist a test to screen men for HPV. Unless he is a rare minority (about 1% of infected men) that may develop genital warts on his penis, groin or anus he will never know he is infected. He can pass HPV from partner to partner without ever knowing he was infected.

HPV Fact #4 - Over 80% of sexually active people will have HPV at one point in their life

Over 20 million people currently have an HPV infection in the United States alone, and nearly 80% of people will be infected sometime within their lifetime. Nearly half of diagnosed cases of HPV are high-risk strains that if left untreated could evolve into cervical cancer.

HPV Fact #5 - You do not need to have intercourse to catch HPV

Although HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, the term STD is misleading. You can catch HPV through oral sex, genital-to-genital contact, anal sex, or even sexual touching. A quote on quote "virgin" can be diagnosed with HPV.

HPV Fact #6 - Condoms don't protect you

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