hpv recurrence?

[nickdel]

My gf had hpv-anal warts- about 4 years ago.  Her gynecologist treated them with some kind of acid, and they were gone.  Then she had Gardisil (sp?) administered after the fact.  Then, about a year later she developed a small white "crater" looking thing (like a tiny white doughnut) that her doc ignored.  The crater remained unchanged and untouched for a year.  Then it slowly elongated and widened and flattened and the doc finally noticed it when it became red and irritated.  The dr. decided it was a wart and administered the acid treatment again.  After that the entire area of the crater became "lumpy" and white.  We thought it was scar tissue, or some other result of the acid treatment, not another wart.  But, the doc disagreed, and just a few days ago gave her another acid treatment and prescribed aldera (sp?).  And now, four years after the initial onset, after three acid treatments, and one post-outbreak vaccine, there appears to be another breakout.  So, our questions are these...

1.  How likely is a recurrence four years after the initial outbreak?
2.  The literature says the infection will normally be cleared by the immune system in 2 years. So does that mean that the hpv is gone?  If it's gone why do the warts come back?  If it's not gone, what does this 2-year thing refer to?
3.  Will the Aldera (sp?) help?  What does it do?
4.  The current outbreak looks nothing at all like the original wart cluster.  Does that indicate anything significant?

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

[coljac29]

1. It is rare to have an outbreak 4 years after the initial outbreak but it is possible.

2. 2 years for the immune system to get the virus under check and no longer detectable or contagious.

3. Not sure on Aldera but i think it helps produce healthy cells where the infected cells were before.

4. From what you have said it does not sound like a typical wart outbreak. The reoccurances ususally occur at the site where there has been an infection before and do not sound typically like you described but a doctors opinion is the best opinion. Maybe you could get it biopsed so then to confirm it is what it is.

[nickdel]

Thanks for the info, we appreciate it.

[mantisgirl]

It may be considered rare to occur after 4 years, but certainly not impossible.  Some people have been wart free for 10 years and then get an outbreak.  There is much debate about what "cleared" means. Some people, including some doctors, will say that you are no longer contagious and have cleared the virus.  Others, (including myself) think that a virus is a virus.  Viruses have no cures (including flu and other commonly known viruses). "cleared" to me means that your immune system has controlled the virus such that you are no longer manifesting any symptoms and may not be contagious, but you still CARRY the virus. (like the chicken pox virus) anyone who has had chicken pox still has the virus, but just does not show symptoms due to the immune system keeping it in check..same for the flu.  There are over 50 strains of hpv, so it is always possible to have one strain of the virus, get that under controlled and then be exposed to another strain and show symptoms again.  This virus is tricky and sneaky...Most people go their whole entire lives carrying the virus and NEVER get an outbreak, while others have to go the doctor every month to get warts removed.  I hope this helps and good luck!

I am not a doctor and this is just my mere opinion