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Duration of infectivity
I engaged in sexual intercourse for several months with a woman I later found out has genital herpes. After 12 weeks I took a herpeselect test which came back less than 0.9. I have experienced some strange symptoms(not sores) over the 12 weeks but now I am fairly certain that they are simply due to anxiety and not a virus. I also took an HIV test after ten weeks which came back negative for both antibodies and the virus. I also found out later that about 1&1/2 years prior to my meeting this woman she had surgery to remove precancerous cells from her cevix. I assume that this means she also had hpv. Is this is a safe assumption? She has told me that since the surgery she has had pap smears done every 6 months and that they everything has come back normal.
1) How long would her hpv be infectious after surgery and does this mean that I contracted a type of hpv that causes cancer of the cervix in women and that I will basically be giving a future partner cancer.
2) Is it possible that she didn't even give me the hpv that caused her cancer.
3) Am I now at risk for developing cancer?
4) Besides warts does hpv cause any other symptoms in men?
I think I all ready know the answers to these but I'll ask anyway.
1) Is the herpeselect test reliable after 12 weeks.
2) Is the HIV test reliable after 10 weeks.
1) How long would her hpv be infectious after surgery and does this mean that I contracted a type of hpv that causes cancer of the cervix in women and that I will basically be giving a future partner cancer.
2) Is it possible that she didn't even give me the hpv that caused her cancer.
3) Am I now at risk for developing cancer?
4) Besides warts does hpv cause any other symptoms in men?
I think I all ready know the answers to these but I'll ask anyway.
1) Is the herpeselect test reliable after 12 weeks.
2) Is the HIV test reliable after 10 weeks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
With "precancerous cells removed from her cervix", you can be sure your partner had HPV. But even without treatment, cervical HPV infection typically resolves within 6-12 months. Her infection probably is long gone, especially in view of the subsequent negative pap smears.
However, if you have 3 or more different sex partners in your lifetime, the odds are you already have been infected with one or more HPV strains of the type that can lead to cancer. Getting genital HPV is inevitable and happens to all of us, and the "high risk" (cancer associated) types are the most common types overall. This will change as the new anti-HPV vaccines are deployed over the next several years, but for now nobody should take special precautions to avoid HPV. Total, 100% reliable condom use reduces the chances, but nobody adheres to such careful and complete condom use. Even with high risk HPV infection, the vast majority of infected people do not develop cancer, and genital skin cancers are extremely rare in men. You should read about all this in more detail than I can cover here. Start with the HPV/warts article in the link at the top of this forum (STD Quick Facts and Articles) and the HPV information provided by CDC (www.cdc.gov/std).
So your question (1) is answered agove. (2) She didn't have cancer; she may or may not have infected you with her HPV strain. Probably not, but there is no way (and no need) to know for sure. (3) All sexually active people are at some teeny risk of getting HPV-related genital cancer. The sexual relationship you describe makes no difference in that risk. (4) Genital warts and (much more rarely) cancer or precancerous skin lesions are the only risks.
To your two follow-up questions: Yes and yes.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
However, if you have 3 or more different sex partners in your lifetime, the odds are you already have been infected with one or more HPV strains of the type that can lead to cancer. Getting genital HPV is inevitable and happens to all of us, and the "high risk" (cancer associated) types are the most common types overall. This will change as the new anti-HPV vaccines are deployed over the next several years, but for now nobody should take special precautions to avoid HPV. Total, 100% reliable condom use reduces the chances, but nobody adheres to such careful and complete condom use. Even with high risk HPV infection, the vast majority of infected people do not develop cancer, and genital skin cancers are extremely rare in men. You should read about all this in more detail than I can cover here. Start with the HPV/warts article in the link at the top of this forum (STD Quick Facts and Articles) and the HPV information provided by CDC (www.cdc.gov/std).
So your question (1) is answered agove. (2) She didn't have cancer; she may or may not have infected you with her HPV strain. Probably not, but there is no way (and no need) to know for sure. (3) All sexually active people are at some teeny risk of getting HPV-related genital cancer. The sexual relationship you describe makes no difference in that risk. (4) Genital warts and (much more rarely) cancer or precancerous skin lesions are the only risks.
To your two follow-up questions: Yes and yes.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
I wish that the CDC and the ASHA were a little more forthright with their info on HPV. . . they seem to be purposely vague about partner notification.
I would also like to thank Dr. Handsfield for giving us an interpretation that is informed and logical.
When will the CDC come out with some guidelines for high risk HPV infections in the upcoming years that help put some of the general hysteria to rest. . .
I would also like to thank Dr. Handsfield for giving us an interpretation that is informed and logical.
When will the CDC come out with some guidelines for high risk HPV infections in the upcoming years that help put some of the general hysteria to rest. . .
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
