The lapse of time between contracting a human papillomavirus infection (HPV) and the onset of cancer can be up to 20 years Published on 01/07/2024 HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in Spain, and it is estimated that more than 80% of the sexually active population will contract the infection at some point in their lives. High risk HPV is responsible for 70% of precancerous lesions. Since 2023 the HPV vaccination has been included in the compulsory vaccination calendar for boys and girls aged between 10 and 124 because, as Dr. Rafael José Navarro Ávila emphasises, HPV “is not a pathology confined only to women”