Lawton, OK -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/05/2013 -- For those of you wrapped up in the natural disasters and civil unrest happening around the world, here’s a story you may have missed. Michael Douglas, actor and husband of Catherine Zeta-Jones, recently told The Guardian (in a candid interview) that despite his reputation as a playboy and party boy, his throat cancer was actually caused by HPV, Human Papillomavirus, the most common STI in the world.

Side note - HPV is so common that it is estimated that EVERY sexually active person in the United States will encounter some form of HPV in their lifetime. 100% infection rate…wow.

While Douglas’ lawyer came out immediately to “clarify” what the actor was saying (basically that he didn’t say what he said), the fact of the matter is he said it, it’s out there, and maybe it’s good that people are talking about the risks of HPV and just how prevalent it really is. Prevention and awareness are never bad things, especially when we’re talking about an STI that will most likely affect every person in the United States of America (and the rest of the world).

For a brief history of HPV, let’s turn to the CDC.

Genital human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat.

HPV can cause serious health problems, including genital warts and certain cancers. There is no certain way to tell who will develop health problems from HPV and who will not. In most cases HPV goes away by itself before it causes any health problems, and most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it.

Now for the $64,000 question: How can I find out if I have HPV?

If you’re a woman over 30, the doctor has a test to screen for HPV, but for the rest of us, nothing. However, there is a way for anyone that has warts to test for HPV. Best of all, it can be done in the privacy of your own home and the ingredients only require a trip to the grocery store. To find out more, download this free guide titled “What Every Victim of Genital Warts Should Know”.

You can find it at http://www.hpvwiki.org/freeguide