Am I ok

[zaggy78]

I am a 29/male, my girlfriend was diagnosed with genital warts about 6 months ago and we used to have unprotected sex before. However, I never developed any symptoms. I was checked by a urologist and a dermatologist. I received two different answers; the urologist told me that the virus doesn’t stay in the body and never specified any time limit. The dermatologist told that I have a 50/50 chance of having it because there is nothing to see, I could have no symptoms or I just never had it, but if I have it then I will have it for life. He even did a biopsy to check on something but it came back negative.
1)what are my chances of recovering of the virus if there are any because a lot of people say that it goes away?
2)What does not having any symptoms means even though my girlfriend had some, does it mean I have good immune system? Does mean I have better chances of recovering?
3)Is it possible that I can transmit the same type of HPV to another women and she ends up not having any symptoms or will it always shows symptoms?
4)I have not had sex with anybody but my girlfriend since then, if I was to meet another women after a year or so should I mention that I was exposed to the virus?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You are asking the most basic of questions about HPV.  You also are experiencing typically mixed advice from providers--which results because the issues are confusing for health professionals, let alone patients; and because knowledge is rapidly evolving.  I will answer our specific questions briefly, but you also need to read up on the basics.  Please see the information on HPV/warts offered by Public Health - Seattle & King County, which I largely wrote myself (www.metrokc.gov/health/apu/std), the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org), and CDC (www.cdc.gov/std).  Also just scroll though the threads on this forum and read the ones on HPV.  You will see that all your questions have been asked and answered several times.

1) Research tests for the virus generally become negative over several months, after which most people never have another problem and do not transmit the virus to partners.  So for practical purposes they are cured.  But undetectable viral DNA may persist, and sometimes can lead to reappearance years later.  But this is uncommon.

2) You can assume you were infected.  It has nothing to do with the strength of your immune system; most infections are asymptomatic and cause no visible warts or other problems.

3) It is possible you could transmit HIV, but as I said above, once a few months have gone by, it probalby isn't a risk.

4) Most experts agree you have no obligation to mention this to future partners.

The main take-home message is that you are totally normal.  Everybody gets genital HPV; it is inevitable and unavoidable.  That your particular partner had a diagnosed infection doesn't mean much; the odds are that other past partners also had it (and you might have had several HPV infections before now).  Just keep an eye out for visible warts, and get them treated is that happens.  At this point, it probably is unlikely.  There is no reason to start using condoms or other protection with your current partner; that horse is long out of the barn and galloping over distant hills.

Do the reading then feel free to come back if you still have questions.

HHH, MD

[zaggy78]

Thanks Dr. Hunter, it is always a relieve to hear such an informative answer. I only need a couple explanations. How can I get HPV with no symptoms from a person who had symptoms? And if I do transmit it, will always be in a form of warts or it also could be without symptoms. In question 3 you typed HIV instead of HPV, is that what you meant or is a typo?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Yes, that was a typo:  HPV, not HIV.  Sorry for any confusion or transient alarm.

The vast majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic.  That is almost the only way they are transmitted.  If you were to transmit HPV, it could show up as warts, but most likely would cause no symptoms in your partner; neither you nor she would ever know it.

Getting and having genital HPV is normal. Everybody gets it within their first 3-4 lifetime sex partners.  It is inevitable, unavoidable, and not to be worried about.  Really no different than having various normal bacteria on our skin and our various body cavities.  In either case, sometimes those otherwise normal bacteria or viruses cause disease--but that is the rare outcome.

So just let it go.  You're like everyone else:  you have had genital HPV.  You happened to be in the minority with symptomatic infection. Nothing more and no big deal.

HHH, MD