Study of Oral Papillomavirus In Teens and Twenties

Short-term Natural History of Oral HPV Infection Among Young Adults

Recently human papillomavirus (HPV) has been recognized to cause some oropharyngeal (tonsil) cancer. But very little is known about oral HPV infection and risk factors. This study will evaluate how common oral HPV infection is, what sexual behaviors are associated with risk for infection, and how long infections tend to last.

18-25 year old individuals are being recruited from STD clinics in Baltimore County and followed every three months for this study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 -26 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Never received HPV vaccine (Gardasil or Cervarix)