Confused about transmition

[unluckiest girl]

I am a 20-year-old virgin with HPV, and have had a total of three partners with whom I have been (manually) intimate. The third and final partner and I engaged in oral sex as well. To my knowledge, none of these guys had any visible warts at all, and I do not recall there being any direct genital contact at any time. (I would remember that because I have always been uneccessarily afraid of getting pregnant.)

I got my first warts about 10-11 months about my relationship with the last guy ended. I got them frozen off a few months after that, but they returned this summer, about 4-5 months later. Since then, I have had 2 more breakouts.

My first question is, if I were to somehow clear this virus from my system, with proper treatment, how is it possible that I would not transmit it to others? I have been reading the various postings in this forum and you say that once the warts stop coming back for about 6 months, there is not enough of the virus present to transmit it. How can that be true, considering I obviously got this from someone who had no warts? Also, apparently it is very easy to catch this virus as I got it without direct genital contact. I assume the guy must have touched himself almost immediately before he touched me. I don't see how my risk of passing it could be so low in the event that I clear it, considering how easily I caught in the first place.

Secondly, are the number of warts any indication of a poor immune system response? Every time I have had an outbreak, it has been a considerable number of weeks before I had them frozen off, and in the meantime, more popped up. I usually have at least five every time I go to the doctor, and right now I have at least six. Is this any indication of my having a poor immune system?

Also, the doctor at my school health services told me that my immune system was probably more susceptable to contracting this virus than other people. Is that true? I also got a wart on my arm that looked just like the ones in my genital area, and the doctor said it was a wart and froze it off as well. This is when he suggested that I might be more susceptible to warts. He also suggested that when I am not having an outbreak, I cannot pass the warts, and that my body will eventually get rid of it on its own.

Is this all tru?. I have been looking through postings in this and the yahoo group and all of the information seems so misleading and confusing. I need some finite answers. If I clear the symptoms and the contagiousness of this virus I just may be able to have another relationship someday. Right now I feel I never will.

Also, I seem to be in the minority as far as statistics go, for many aspects of my whole HPV situation. What are the chances that I am equally unlucky in other respects and will not in fact clear this virus? I am devastated and depressed and about ready to give up on everything. It seems very unfair that I have been so sexually inactive and would have this happen to me.

Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

With apology, I am traveling overseas (an STD meeting in Japan) and do not have the time to answer your questions in the detail you deserve.  Please use the forum search function to look at other threads and archives on HPV and genital warts; most of your questions have been addressed.  Also read the HPV/warts information in the link "STD Quick Facts and Articles" on the STD forum home page; the info. available at www.cdc.gov/std; and at American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org).  I'll provide a few quick commentts below, then will answer any continuing questions in a few days.

There have always been a few people who acquire genital warts or HPV without having insertive intercourse.  Presumably genital secretions are transmitted back and forth by hands, sex toys, etc; and recent research indicates that oral infection with genital HPV types may be more common than previously known.

There is no evidence that some people are more susceptible to HPV, or to development of symptomatic infection (e.g., visible warts) than other people.  It is possible, but there is no proof and many experts believe it is unlikely.  The lesion on your arm probably is entirely unrelated to your genital warts.

Whether treatment of warts reduces infectiousness isn't really known.  Many people with no symptoms can pass HPV to their sex partners.  As the months go by without recurrent warts, your potential for transmission will decline.

I hope this helps for the time being.  Good luck--  HHH, MD

[moet]

Hi: I am not an expert on HPV by any stretch (but ask me anything on herpes) but I had a few really bad bouts of warts 20 years ago, when I was too young (around your age) to know what it all meant. Anyway, I only had a few incidences and have been wart free for 18 years and test negative for HPV. I'm sure Dr. will correct me, but this is not like herpes where you always will test positive. Or I'm the luckiest girl ;)  

I do agree that it is awful to be so cautious and end up with an STD. But hopefully, they will stop and you will also test negative eventually.

Best wishes to you!!

[neveragainunprotected]

yea it is amazing, you have been very careful and still got hpv. goes to show just how contagious this disease is.
you don't have much to worry about. the warts will probably not come back, and your pap smears should go back to normal, if they are abnormal right now.
I had warts when I was 17 years old, I am now 25 (female) and they have never come back since the first outbreak, I have had consistent normal pap smears, and never had a previous partner tell me I gave them warts.
you will be just fine.

[yoy]

Doctor, I ws hoping you might clarify something for me-In this thread you indicate that, "Presumably genital secretions are transmitted back and forth by hands, sex toys, etc; and recent research indicates that oral infection with genital HPV types may be more common than previously known."

This seems to mean that genital secretions can transmit HPV by hand-

In prior threads you have stated that STD's are not transmitted by hand to gential contact.  

These statements appear to be in direct conflict.

Given the number of people who post on here worried about which contacts they should worry about and asking can I get an STD if he/she uses his/her hand on me after touching him/herself- they might want some clarification.