HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. It is a virus with over 100 strains, low risk strains causing genital warts and high risk strains leading to cervical or anal cancers. Most people would contract this virus, and be asymptomatic. However, a manifestation of low risk strains of the virus is the presence of genital or anal warts. High risk strains hardly show symptoms till they turn cancerous.