Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. HPV is usually spread through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. There are more than 200 types of HPV, and about 40 kinds can infect the genital area, including the vulva, vagina, cervix, rectum, anus, penis, and scrotum, as well as the mouth and throat. Most people with HPV have no symptoms and feel totally fine, so they usually don’t even know they’re infected. Some types of HPV can cause illnesses such as genital warts or cervical cancer. In women, HPV is the cause of the vast majority of cases of cervical cancer, and it can also cause vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancer, as well as oropharyngeal cancer. HPV that affects the genitals is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that gets passed through skin-to-skin contact.

In summary, HPV in females is caused by sexual contact with someone who has the virus, and it can lead to illnesses such as genital warts or cervical cancer.