HPV and getting married

Hi Doctor,

   In Jan 2011 I had a two day thing with a girl from far away (oral unprotected and intercourse protected). I did not know until later that she had HPV. After two weeks I developed some bumps in the pubic area and also a little later developed two small raised bumps on the bottom of penis really small. When I asked she confirmed it was about two years ago. My bumps in the pubic area went away in a few months (2-4 months) but the two small dots on the penis remained and I used finger nails to peel one of at about 5 month period and the other one remained but I peeled the other one of now ( a little painful while peeling it off). Rewindinf to one month mark, I went to two doctors office and showed the bumps to the doctors and asked them if it looked like an STD (mainly HPV or Herpes) and they said they can't tell until tests are done. Obviously there's no test for HPV. But anyway there was no test results for HPV but everything else including Herpes 1 and 2 were negative. After that they still did not tell me what it was. Do you think it is HPV??  I am really concerned about marrying now. How to disclose if I have HPV and what's the best way to prevent transmission.
Would it be 100% effective If I wear boxers and also condom?
She is 25 now so can I have her take the vaccine available and would she be protected?  I am 27 and 10 months .. can I also take the vaccine now .. how effective.
What are the things I should look out for in future for my health. I might be pre diabetic right now .. so how would this affect one another?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. There is no realistic way for me to tell you if the lesions you noted were HPV or not without examining you and even then I could not be 100% sure without performing a biopsy.  I would suspect not as it is not typical for warts to appear within a month of exposure- the average time is about 6 months for warts to appear.  

Even if you did have HPV, this really is not something to worry about.  For better or worse, at present HPV is a "fact of life" and most people have it or will have it at some point in the future.  Despite this fact, only a tiny minority of persons with HPV get the consequences of infection (primarily women and primarily cancer and pre-cancerous lesions).  HPV is the most commonly acquired STD.  Over 85% of sexually active women will have HPV infection at some time in their lives.  The figure for men is less well studied but similar.   In some HPV will cause genital warts, in others it will not cause warts but may lead to changes in PAP smears.  In nearly everyone who gets HPV, warts or otherwise, the infections will resolve by themselves without therapy in 8-24 months.  In a very small minority of women, HPV infection can persist and lead to the pre-cancerous lesions that PAP smears detect and which can then be treated.  For men there is far less risk of any sort.

As for your specific questions:

The best way to prevent HPV transmission is through condom use but condoms are not 100% effective- more like 60-80% effective in reducing HPV risk over time.  

Warts/HPV is transmitted by direct contact,. Boxers might help but would by no means be absolute.

The vaccine is recommended for all women of your fiancé’s age.  It is over 99% effective for preventing infection by the types of HPV present in the vaccine.

Yes, you can take the vaccine.  It should still be highly effective in preventing you form acquiring HPV but it does not treat the infection if already present.  

If you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, this should not affect HPV infection or vaccine effectiveness.

I hope these comments help. EWH

[phatkickr]

  
1.   Can a biopsy be done from the little bump I peeled off 1 day ago.

2.  I am 27 and 10 months old .. would the vaccine work for me now .. because  I have read it to be effective only till 26?

3. Last question, if possible answer here - Is HSV detected at 1 month?

Close the thread after this . Thanks Doctor.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

1. No if it is off it cannot be readily tested at this time.

2. Yes the vaccine will work for you now.  It is recommended for younger persons as they are the persons most likely to acquire HPV.  

3.  If you have not had an outbreak, you did not get HSV.  Blood tests are not recommended. EWH