Seven in ten Americans are unaware that one of the world's most common STDs can trigger certain types of .

A survey by researchers at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, , found that up to 72.6 percent of people were not aware that human papillomavirus () could lead to anal, oral and penile cancer in 2020.

Three in ten also said they were unaware that it could cause cervical cancer.

The number who did not know that it could cause cervical cancer had also fallen seven percent since 2014, which the researchers highlighted as concerning.

They warned that the falling numbers were leading to 'sub-optimal' uptakes of the HPV vaccine, putting more people at risk of cancer.

The figures are especially concerning given that will catch HPV this year alone, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. 

The above graph shows how many Americans said they were aware that HPV can cause the following cancers in 2014 and again in 2020.

Knowledge of the link dropped across the board

HPV is the most common STD in the United States, with about 43million people being infected every year — mostly in their 20s

The survey results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Florida, this week.

The HPV vaccine is currently offered to all Americans aged 11 to 12 years, administered as two doses six to 12 months apart.

It is also available as a three-dose course for people aged 15 to 26 years, with the first two doses given within two months of each other and dafreexxxmovies.com the third six months later.