How widespread is HPV? About 80%-90% of women may be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. The vast majority clear the infection on their own—most within 1 year thanks to the immune system. Only a small number of high-risk types persist for more than 12 months, and it can take another 10-20 years for them to possibly develop into cervical cancer. In other words, having carried HPV is a "human norm," not a marker of a few "bad people." It takes 10-20 years for persistent infection to turn into cancer. The story of two successive wives "passing it along" points to either separate, independent histories of long-term infection, or simply a timing that doesn’t match the narrative of "he got it right after he married her and died immediately."
Cervical cancer is the only cancer that can be nearly completely prevented today by "vaccines + screening." With intervention during the precancerous stage, the cure rate can reach 98%. Men should also get the HPV vaccine—Nobel Prize laureate zur Hausen even said that if prevention could only focus on one gender, then men should be vaccinated. Rather than cursing "virus kings" in the hallway, treat it as a "relationship disease": check together as a couple, vaccinate at the appropriate age, and undergo regular TCT + HPV screening.
Cervical cancer is the only cancer that can be nearly completely prevented today by "vaccines + screening." With intervention during the precancerous stage, the cure rate can reach 98%. Men should also get the HPV vaccine—Nobel Prize laureate zur Hausen even said that if prevention could only focus on one gender, then men should be vaccinated. Rather than cursing "virus kings" in the hallway, treat it as a "relationship disease": check together as a couple, vaccinate at the appropriate age, and undergo regular TCT + HPV screening.
