NEW YORK, July 28 (UPI) -- Cervical cancer isn't the only reason to be concerned about human papillomavirus; most young U.S. adults don't know it can cause genital warts, a survey finds.
A Roper survey shows that 69 percent of young American adults ages 18 to 35 do not realize that types of the human papillomavirus, known as HPV, can cause genital warts, a sexually transmitted disease that infects 1 million people each year in the United States.
The survey, conducted for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, found 69 percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 35 don't know that the most sexually active Americans have HPV. Forty-eight percent believe herpes is another name for genital warts -- it is not.
"The recent approval of an HPV vaccine has generated considerable awareness about the importance of protection against the virus and diseases it can cause, particularly cervical cancer," said Susan Wysocki, chief executive officer of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health. "We cannot forget the millions of men and women already infected with HPV, including the types that cause genital warts."
