[slevin]

I won't comment on the herpes side since Good times already covered that in depth. On the HPV front it is a much different situation than herpes. HPV has a vaccine for women (women 11-26 can have the vaccine), it is typically cleared from the body by the immune system within 2 years (though it can remain longer) and has multiple types (much like herpes). There are different strains that cause different things, even a woman who has a high risk strain (one that can cause cancer) it is a small percentage of those who will actually develop cancerous cells. Now, any risk of cancer is a very bad thing, but the actual risk is quite small.

Also, HPV can not be tested for in men. So while a woman can find out if she has it already, a man can not find out that he carries it. Since it's women that are really at risk with HPV (genital warts can affect men, but that is estimated at 1% of those infected) this is again one of those things that is important to be aware of, but there is very little than can be done to limit the risk. Get the vaccine (if you can) and if you are a woman have an HPV test done regularly.