South Africa has one of the highest HIV rates in the world, with 8-million people estimated to be living with the virus. While many people are aware of the link between HIV and Tuberculosis (TB), fewer know about another common co-infection: Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV includes a family of more than 200 viruses – of which about 40 are sexually transmitted.

These strains are divided into low-risk and high-risk types. Low-risk strains are associated with milder conditions, such as genital warts, and in most cases, a healthy immune system can clear the infection without complication. But persistent high-risk HPV infection can lead to cancers, including cervical, anal, and throat cancer.

The relationship between HIV and HPV is particularly important in South Africa, where millions of HIV-positive people are at risk of HPV-related cancers.

Research by the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute found that 79% of HIV-positive men tested in inner-city Johannesburg had genital HPV infections. A separate study from UCT found that 74% of HIV-positive women were infected with HPV, compared to under 37% of HIV-negative women. When the immune system’s guard is lowered by HIV, opportunistic infections are a lot more likely, and a lot harder to clear.