HPV, or to give it its scientific name, the human papillomavirus, is one of the world's most common sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and in some cases, can lead to other health problems such as genital warts and cervical cancer.
Doctors from the Department of Oncology at McGill University in Canada have been exploring exactly how the STI is transmitted from person to person, finding that it can be passed on not just through oral sex, but also via kissing.
To make this discovery, the team analyzed the sexual health of 222 men and their female partners. The male participants were required to complete a questionnaire detailing their sexual history, as well as providing samples from their mouths and genitals for analysis.
Some 7.2 per cent of the men had the oral form of the virus, but just 11.5 per cent of these males had female sexual partners with genital HPV.
Yet 28.6 per cent had partners with the oral-based virus, indicating that it is not just oral sex where HPV can be a risk, but also mouth-to-mouth contact.
Other prevalent factors in the transmission of HPV were found to be smoking (12.2 per cent of cases in men) and non-monogamous relationships (17.9 per cent of males).
Lead author of the study Eduardo Franco commented: 'Understanding how HPV is transmitted is important because it will help us identify who is most at risk for HPV infection and how we can help them protect themselves and their partners.
'Our work provides additional evidence that HPV is sexually transmitted to the oral tract through oral-to-oral and oral-to-gential contact.'
Last month, a study from the University of Texas Health Science Center revealed that a compound found in shiitake mushrooms could help to ward off HPV infections and prevent them from developing into cancer.
In addition, research from the Texas facility on the subject has shown individuals with dental problems may be significantly more likely to be diagnosed with HPV.
Doctors from the Department of Oncology at McGill University in Canada have been exploring exactly how the STI is transmitted from person to person, finding that it can be passed on not just through oral sex, but also via kissing.
To make this discovery, the team analyzed the sexual health of 222 men and their female partners. The male participants were required to complete a questionnaire detailing their sexual history, as well as providing samples from their mouths and genitals for analysis.
Some 7.2 per cent of the men had the oral form of the virus, but just 11.5 per cent of these males had female sexual partners with genital HPV.
Yet 28.6 per cent had partners with the oral-based virus, indicating that it is not just oral sex where HPV can be a risk, but also mouth-to-mouth contact.
Other prevalent factors in the transmission of HPV were found to be smoking (12.2 per cent of cases in men) and non-monogamous relationships (17.9 per cent of males).
Lead author of the study Eduardo Franco commented: 'Understanding how HPV is transmitted is important because it will help us identify who is most at risk for HPV infection and how we can help them protect themselves and their partners.
'Our work provides additional evidence that HPV is sexually transmitted to the oral tract through oral-to-oral and oral-to-gential contact.'
Last month, a study from the University of Texas Health Science Center revealed that a compound found in shiitake mushrooms could help to ward off HPV infections and prevent them from developing into cancer.
In addition, research from the Texas facility on the subject has shown individuals with dental problems may be significantly more likely to be diagnosed with HPV.
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