Prof. Adegboyega Fawole of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has warned that Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) has been found in the throat of people engaging in oral sex. Fawole, who is of the Department of Gynaecology, UITH told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Tuesday that HPV was mostly sexually transmitted.
He said that the virus caused almost all cases of cervical cancer and could cause genital warts and anal cancer. “Oral sex has been linked with an increased risk of acquiring HPV infection in the mouth and with an increased risk of developing oral cancers that are caused by HPV.
“However, sex in general has also been linked with these risks,” he said. The gynaecologist warned that those engaging in oral sex were twice more likely to have oral HPV infection than those who did not engage in oral sex.
Fawole, however, said there was no need for individuals in monogamous relationships to restrict their sexual activities if the pair was in good health. He called on people to always go for screening and check-up to guard against cancer of any kind.
Recall that American actor, Michael Douglas mentioned that his own throat cancer could have been brought about by oral sex, a common way to become infected with HPV, he said so in an interview published in The Guardian newspaper in London.
Prevention and treatment
According to Howard LeWine, M.D., Chief Medical Editor, Internet Publishing, Harvard Health Publications, sexual contact, including oral sex and deep kissing, can transmit HPV from one person to another. The likelihood of contracting oral HPV is directly associated with number of sexual partners a person has had.
There are a few ways to prevent HPV-related oral cancer, depending on your age.
Pre-teens, teens, and young adults of both sexes can get vaccinated against HPV. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that young women get vaccinated against the virus to prevent cervical cancer.
The CDC also recommends the vaccination for young men for two reasons: to help prevent its transmission to women, and to help prevent some of the 7,000 HPV-related cancers that occur in men each year. The two available vaccines provide excellent protection against sexually transmitted HPV.
