Lack of symptoms hides STD

Now that spring break is over and stories of drunken nights, sexual conquests and lazy afternoons have all been told, reality has returned. The days of break have passed, but the memories will last forever.

However, other backlashes of spring break -- such as sexually transmitted diseases -- may last forever, too.

Aside from the well-known STDs such as herpes, gonorrhea and AIDS, there is a lesser-known STD that infects between 24 million and 40 million people in the United States, according to statistics from the American Social Health Association.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that infects one of five people, making it one of the most prominent STDs in existence. It often has no symptoms, but more importantly, it cannot be cured.

College students are at a risk of HPV infection because of dangerous behaviors and alcohol use, said Drew Bills, health promotion specialist for the office of health promotion and education.

"We do see a high infection rate of HPV in the age bracket of 18 to 24," he said.

Spring break is a time when risky behaviors are common, since many students are using alcohol in conjunction with sexual activity, said Elaine Jurs, assistant director of the office of health promotion and education.

But spring break is not the only time students should use caution in their sexual encounters, Jurs said. In any relationship, students should get to know their partner before jumping into sexual relations, she added.

HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact during sexual intercourse, Jurs said. Condoms can often be useless against HPV, since they may not entirely cover the infected area, she said.

- Elaine Jurs, assistant director of the office of health promotion and education

Condoms should always be used, even when people have been tested and believe they do not have STDs, said Dr. Michele Manting-Brewer of OB-GYN Alternatives, 611 University Drive.

"You live with (HPV) for a really long time, so it makes sense to consider (other STDs) as well," she added.

While HPV cannot fully be cured, those infected can lead full lives, Jurs said.

"It's something that is manageable. You can live with it, you can have a partner, you can have a sex life," she said.

Therapies are available to control the virus, but HPV can return again at any time, Bills added.

"We rarely see re-occurrences, but it can happen," Bills said. "It is a virus, which means we can't get rid of it."

HPV is a virus, which includes 60 or more types -- the most notable type causing genital warts, Bills said.

But recognizing the symptoms of HPV once it has been contracted can be difficult, since it often has no visible symptoms, Manting-Brewer said. Fertility problems may result if an infection goes undetected, Bills said.

- Dr. Michele Manting-Brewer

Diagnosis for men can be even more difficult, since HPV infections often exhibit no symptoms, Manting-Brewer said. There is a procedure that can reveal warts by wrapping the penis in a cloth soaked in a vinegar solution, she added.

"But if it's not an active infection, a man might have (HPV) but nobody is going to see it anyway," she added.

Once diagnosed with genital HPV, there are a number of different treatments available, Bills said.

These include aggressive laser surgery or freezing to remove visible warts and at-home treatment creams for patients to apply also exist, Bills added.