Condoms do not protect against HPV

[Iacobus]

[quote name='jiyoung' post='1014067' date='Jun 28 2006, 04:36 PM']
Condoms are relatively ineffective because HPV can exist not just on the genitals but on the general area, right? So because it doesn't cover the whole area, you're not safe. I remember pounding this point home with my bio teacher, who kept insisting that condoms were a cure-all prevent-all, but if HPV really isn't preventable with condoms, and especially if it can cause cervical cancer (!), then really the BEST option is abstinence. (He didn't really want to admit it, but I coaxed it out of him.)
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HPV can be spread from the genital area. That is correct.

The thing is, while the is true, there seems to be a roughly 70% decrease in infections among those who use condoms, so there might be a "hot" zone and a "warm" zone in terms on contracting the virus.

I heard that the CDC estimates that nearly 85% of American's will contract HPV during their life times. Which is intresting as well. That would, at least to me, suggest that there is more then one route of exposure, as I would think that more then 15% of American's have fewer then 1 sexual partners. Maybe it spreads via public toilets, I know some STD's can spread that way (though sexual transmission is more common then a passive transmission). Which is scary for any college student...