HPV via sharing food

[oxk7]

Dear Drs.

I have performed oral sex (cunnilingus) on my girlfriend in the past.  I can’t know for sure if she has HPV (I hope not).  This weekend, my parents were visiting me, and my father took a bite of something from my plate.  This happened on Saturday, i.e. 3 days ago.  I am worried about transmission of HPV to his mouth, in case I happen to have one in my mouth (I am obviously particularly worried about the cancer-causing strains).  

Is this of concern (in case that I indeed have HPV in my mouth)?  Obviously, its an embarrassing issue to bring up to him, so I thought I would ask here first.  But if it is of concern, what can be done now?  Perhaps to try and convince him to get an HPV vaccine, since the exposure was only 3 days ago (I’m not sure how easy it would be, given that he’s in his 60s).  If so, would this be effective?  I understand that you might possibly say that he has likely been exposed to HPV already (I don't actually know), but I do not think its that likely that his *mouth* has ever been exposed to HPV.  

Please advise on all this.

Thanks.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.

Some questions can be answered accurately from the title alone. HPV is never transmitted by food, eating utensils, etc.

Now I have read the question.  Oral HPV infection is uncommon, especially after cunnilingus.  The chance you have oral HPV from that event is very low.  And if you do, you cannot transmit it to others by food, contaminated plates, etc.  You should not say anything about this to your parents, and they do not need HPV vaccine.

As for mouth versus other contact, it doesn't matter.  If someone has had HPV anywhere on the body, he or she is immune to that virus type, anywhere on the body.

This is the second time you've asked a question that suggests you are abnormally fearful of STDs and HIV by nonsexual transmission.  (The last time, you asked about HPV from a water splash.)  You need never worry about HIV or any STD from exposures other than direct sexual contact.  Understand it and believe it.  You should not need to spend good money on questions like this!

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[oxk7]

May I please ask a question re. a related recent concern.  I understand that only "direct sexual contact" bears potential transfer risk, but sometimes what this means isn't clear.  If I touch a vagina with a hand that has some small cuts or abrasions on it (clearly a direct sexual contact), can a high-risk strain transfer to hands in this way?  If so, would post-factum vaccination with any of the HPV vaccines be useful?

Tx.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Oh good grief.  If you consider "a friend not washing his hand after using the bathroom and then touching food" to be a form of sex, then you have a problem I cannot solve.

If you ask another question that ignores my advice above, the entire thread will immediately be deleted.

[oxk7]

Ok.  Thanks.

" But only by sex. "

I assume this also applies to my question regarding a friend not washing his hand after using the bathroom and then touching food.

I hope my mentioning anxiety did affect your responses.

Thanks again.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

"So there's a life-long immunity for HPV?"  Yes -- or at least strong resistance to new infection with the same type one has already had.  But there are over 100 HPV types, so new infections still are common.  But only by sex.

"assuming that my dad *does not* currently have immunity for HPV, I interpret your answer as that I still do not need to worry about HPV transmission through the sharing food episode that I described?"  Correct.

That will end this thread.  Move on without giving any of this another thought.

[oxk7]

P.P.S.  So to summarize, assuming that my dad *does not* currently have immunity for HPV, I interpret your answer as that I still do not need to worry about HPV transmission through the sharing food episode that I described?  

[oxk7]

Thank you, Dr. Huntsfield for your response.  

I will try to worry less about STD transmission by non-sexual means.   But for a person who has a tendency for anxiety it is not as easy as it seems.  For example, if a friend of mine visited my home and went to the bathroom (so, touched his genitals), then did not wash hands afterwards and then touched my food - even that much is not of worry?

Yes, I did ask a question of similar nature before, but it was actually about Hep-B (not HPV) from a water splash.

Again, I will try ...

Thanks again!
O.

P.S.  "As for mouth versus other contact, it doesn't matter.  If someone has had HPV anywhere on the body, he or she is immune to that virus type, anywhere on the body. "

So there's a life-long immunity for HPV?  (I don't mean to "go in circles", but again, I don't actually know if my father has ever been exposed to it anywhere on the body).