See The Deadly Sexually Transmitted Disease That Even Condom Can't Prevent (Photo)

Condoms have been hyped as master-
protectors against $exually transmitted
infections.
However, health experts are
warning that in as much as condoms
significantly decrease transmission
rates of the most life-threatening
viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B
and C, it’s not foolproof.
At a meeting of cancer specialists at
the University of Nairobi last week,
reproductive health expert, Nelly
Mugo, said that even as we take
protective measures using condoms
against most STIs including HIV/
Aids, the rubber sheaths cannot
provide 100 per cent protection
against the Human Papilloma Virus
(HPV). “Condoms offer 60 per cent
of HPV thus the virus can spread
through skin-to-skin contact with
infected areas of the skin not
covered by the condom such as the
scrotum, anus, or vulva,” Dr Mugo
said.
The 2014 Kenya Demographic and
Health Survey, released last week,
shows that male condoms are the
most popular method among
$exually active unmarried women.
Unmarried men too seem to prefer
condoms as the popular method to
protect against STIs. But for a virus
whose disease has no symptoms, the
inefficacy of condoms allows for
faster and wider spread, especially
amongst those with multiple s*x
partners.
The only 100 per cent effective way
to prevent HPV transmission is
abstinence from any s*xual contact,
including or*l, an*l, and vaginal s*x.
See also: Morning after:That ‘oops’
moment when women’s emergency
pills backfire Since abstinence may
not be a realistic option, Dr Mugo
advises remaining monogamous
while in a relationship, vaccination
and screening for women. Women
can also pa$$ viruses without having
any symptoms.
But the chance of females infecting
men is estimated at less than five
per cent of the rates of male-to-
female transmission. There are more
than 100 types of HPV and about 13
of these are cancer causing, with
HPV types 16 and 18 causing
approximately 70 per cent of all
cervical cancers worldwide. Sadly,
it’s physically difficult to tell
whether your partner has the HPV
virus unless they have private part
warts, yet those who do not have
visible signs can also spread the
virus.
The other interesting aspect of this
particular virus is that you do not
need to have s*x for it to be pa$$ed
on from one person to another. The
virus is found in the flora of the
man-hood, scrotum, vag1na,
vulva@, or anus of a person who
has the HPV. One can get infected
through kissing or touching an
infected s*x organs or through or*l
s3’x.
Since cervical cancer is the leading
cause of cancer deaths among adult
women, in the developing world,
and the second most common
cancer among women worldwide,
preventive measures include getting
a pap smear for women and/or
getting vaccinated.
Better still, it’s important that you
be honest with your partner about
your s3’x history. Immunizing all
girls before becoming $exually
active ideally aged nine to 13 years
in order to lower the risk of HPV
took off in Kenya under a pilot
project in Kitui County in 2013,
targeting 20,000 girls.