Virgin with HPV?

Hi,
I am a 19 year old female who has never had intercourse. However, i was advised by my mother to start getting a PAP smear done regularly anyway, since I would need to get used to the process sooner or later and I have been having trouble for 3 years with an irregular period. My gyno's nurse called me today and informed me that I have severe abnormal cell growth and they want to schedule an colposcopy ASAP. I asked if maybe I could get another PAP smear done first, and the nurse said that she didn't think "that was necessary & the doctor specifically recommended the colposcopy". My question is
1) Could I have HPV even though I've remained abstinent?
2) Why would the doctor not want to do a second PAP, since abnormal PAP's are pretty common?
             Thanks!

[ibizan]

Have u had sexual contact that was not full intercourse?HPV is a std but the doctors forum states in rare cases it can occur and the causes are unknown....is there a history of cervical cancer in the family?the colposcopy will tell u whats really going on and what is needed for further treatment.

[tayterTOT11]

no i have not had ANY form of sexual contact. My older sister found out a year and a half ago she has High Risk HPV with severe displasia, but my doc told me that I didn't need to worry about contracting it from her, that I only needed to worry if I have had sex. She even told me she didn't recommend me getting the PAP. She also said that if in some case it were to come back abnormal that we would just do another PAP. but instead we're automatically doing a colposcopy? it just seems very weird to me.

[ibizan]

the colposcopy will tell exactly what type of cells these are.It is necessary for further treatment if needed.I have high risk HPV dormant now yeah!normal pap post LEEP and i've had a history of cervical issues since age 28 and  am now 52.I've had quite a few colps in my time..they do tell the real story!

[mandasabs]

Unfortunately they're also finding that oral sex can cause HPV now in some cases as well. But if you said that you have never had sexual contact before, this should not be the case.

It's possible that this is not HPV though. HPV is not the only cause of abnormal cervical cells, just one of the main causes. She is recommending the colposcopy be done because she will be able to see so much more than in what a Pap test shows. It's not horrible and it's better that you have a more invasive test done if your cells are that abnormal, just to be on the safe side. The worst part of the colposcopy is that it's uncomfortable to have them looking insided and poking and proding. I'm getting my second one done in three weeks, not fun, but it's better to be safe then sorry.

Good luck and keep your chin up.

[Med Help]

We were alerted to this post and wanted to provide Dr. Handsfield's reply to this. Please keep in mind, this is an exception that he is replying here and he will not answer follow-up questions:

There are over 100 types of HPV.  A minority (maybe up to 20-30 types) are primarily genital and are sexually transmitted.  Most of the others probably are acquired through non-sexual contact, and perhaps sometimes through environmental contamination.  The exact sources for such infections are not known.  However, most likely transmission is not nearly as easy as implied in this message.  If the comment refers primarily to the genital HPV types, especially the common ones (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, and others), the statement is flatly wrong.  When genital HPV shows up in people not obviously at risk for genital exposure, it generally means that an infection acquired many years earlier is now showing up again— not infection acquired through the environment.

[mayflowers]

Thank you for this comment from Dr Handsfield.  

[mayflowers]

You're funny...LOL

[ibizan]

genital HPV =genital transmission.Bravo/thank you Dr.Handsfield!

[happyfeet34]

You two are just down right mean.  Why don't you give some breaks here.  We are all in the same boat.

[mayflowers]

Ok, sorry if I hurt your feelings.  Can you give the name of your dr and maybe a website where we can read his research?  I think it would be interesting    Thanks!

[happyfeet34]

Stop! Seriously, stop.  

[ibizan]

I'm kinda laughing at ur perception of Mayflowers and I as mean!We want to make sure ppl get the facts on HPV...the RIGHT facts...and there is 2 much misinformation out there that ppl b-lieve!Both Mayflowers and I have/had HPV and have been thru all the feelings/angst many have been thru here.We have read researched and will continue to do so...and want to pass on2 others all we've learned.Thats ALL we're trying to do here!

[happyfeet34]

I love how YOUR facts are THOUGHT to be true but when it comes to others FACTS you can't accept them.  But that's all right.  There are tons of people in this world that have to be right.  They are usually trying to overcome an insecurity of some sort.  As I have read somewhere in here, it is good you weren't around when HIV was first thought of as a STD.  Whew....that would have been very troubling.

[mayflowers]

Hi Happyfeet,  I would really like to see the facts that you are talking about regarding transmission of hpv.  If you could just post it here, I will take a look at it.  
Thank you for your time, Mayflowers

[happyfeet34]

Check under the title "married 20 years and now HPV.  A person so kindly has given us tons of information from articles.  Pretty much proving the facts that there is more than one way to acquire this disease.  

[ibizan]

If u r comfortable in what u believe to be true then remain there.We all have our own truths!

[happyfeet34]

What?????

[mayflowers]

I read the married 20 yrs post but didn't see any links per se.  What it looks like from reading it is that hpv is found under the fingernails which is true.   I have heard that before however whether this is the actual mode of transmission is highly debateable.  What would have to happen is for someone to scratch their genitals, get the virus under their fingernails, and then touch/scratch someone elses genitals immediately after touching themselves.  Yes, that could happen.  To go from genital to hand to hand to genitals is not very likely.  The genital hpv needs a certain type of environment to exist. Shaking hands with someone who has it under their fingernails is not the ideal environment for transmission of the virus.

You can get hpv from genital to genital touching if one of individuals has hpv.  You do not have to have intercourse.

I will say that I have talked to  people who thought they were exclusive however one party indeed was seeing other people.  All it takes is one exposure to get hpv since it is highly contagious.  

So to recap, genital to under fingernail to shaking hand to genital is not an effective route of transmission for hpv.

Have a nice night,
Mayflowers

[mayflowers]

"Pretty clear the disease comes out of nowhere"???!!!

You and happyfeet need therapy for your denial issues.  All I can say is this is truly comical.  You and happyfeet are the same person.  Seriously, get a hobby and stop wasting our time here.  

[Anita727]

Just wanted to shed a little light to those of you who might have HPV and are virgins or have faithful partners. I work for a Gynecologist that is 89 years old and has been practicing medicine for 60 years, There isn't anything you can teach him about ovarian cancer that he hasn't seen yet.  He has had only a few cancers develop in his 60 years and that was because they didn't get regular paps. You can get HPV from public restrooms and hot tubs/Jacuzzis.

[the1edna]

Hi Anita727 I just wanted to say something to you. you said u work for obgyn and he has seen everythang, HAS HE EVER SEEN A 5yr OLD GIRL WITH OVARIAN CANCER STAGE 2? Im courious sense hes been in practice for 60 yrs. Ask him and get back with me. thanks edna