Human papillomavirus (HPV) is primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, especially during sexual activities. The main ways you can get HPV include:
- Vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. HPV spreads when the genitals, mouth, or anus come into contact with an infected partner's skin or mucous membranes
- Close genital skin-to-skin contact, even without penetration or ejaculation. This includes genital-to-genital contact and can also occur through hand-to-genital contact, though this is less common
- Sharing sex toys that have been in contact with an infected person can also spread HPV
- Transmission from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth is possible but less common
HPV is highly contagious and can be spread even when an infected person shows no symptoms or visible signs like warts
. You do not need to have multiple sexual partners to get HPV; it can be contracted from the first sexual encounter
. In summary, HPV is mainly spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact during sexual activities, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, as well as other close genital contact
