HPV questions

[bldrbldr2010]

I am a 25 year old heterosexual female who has had two sexual partners in my lifetime.  My first sexual relationship was mutually monogamous and ended two years ago.  Both pap tests since have been negative.  

I have a few questions about HPV.

I recently started a new, mutually monogamous relationship. Both my partner and I were tested for all STDs prior to engaging in unprotected sex.  Both of us were negative for everything.  

About three weeks prior to our first unprotected sex, I got my first Gardasil shot.  I got my second shot right on schedule.  From my research done recently, I understand that the first shot offers no protection and the second one offers about 95% after about two weeks.  Given this, I realize my risk window to be about 6-7 weeks to have potentially contracted high-risk HPV from my new partner before the Gardasil started to protect.  

My questions are:
1. Do you agree with these "protection" percentages from the Gardasil shot schedule
2. If I was indeed exposed to and contracted a high-risk strain of HPV during this time, will subsequent unprotected sex with this partner make the infection worse or harder to treat?  I know that Gardasil will not treat any infection contracted prior to the vaccine, but would it stop it from progressing?

I am scheduled to get my third and final Gardasil in one month.  I am not due for my next annual Pap for six months.  

Thanks for your help!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are correct, continuuing your relationship will not increase your risk.  EWH

[bldrbldr2010]

Thanks Dr. Hook.  I appreciate the information.  Given your answer to question 2, I assume that I can proceed with mutually monogamous unprotected sex as usual with this partner without increasing my chances of contracting high-risk HPV.  Is this correct?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Congratulations on your decision to get the HPV vaccine.  It is highly effective and a good idea for most women.  Your questions are good ones and raise an important issue about the figures that we and others quote to justify our statements.  These figures are summary statements and are derived from statistical analysis of studies which enrolled many people into the studies.  In the case of studies of the HPV vaccine, the data are generated from research studies in which tens of thousands of women participated.  Thus the figures you quote (which I do agree with) are meant to describe the development of antibodies over time.  Some women will do so sooner than the average figure while others will do so a bit more slowly.  That said they are good guidelines to describe the onset of the protective effect provided by the vaccine.  


As for your specific questions:
1.  Yes, these are in the right ball park.  
2.  There are no data to suggest that having received the HPV vaccine will change the course of infection in any way.  It would be no more difficult to treat and would be no or less likely to persist.  

Hope these responses are helpful for you.  For additional information on HPV and the HPV vaccine, you might take a look at the American Social Health Association web site which has a lot of accurate information (Dr. Handsfield and I are both members of the ASHA Board of Directors).  EWH