HPV Disclosure

[bob41]

Doctor -
You have written in response to many people questions about HPV that there is no ethical reason to disclose that you had HPV if you have been clear for 6 months.  Why is this ?  Is it because the chances of reoccurence at that point is so low, that it doesn't make sense ? Can one consider themselves cured after this point and quit worrying about it ?

Thanks for your help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

This has been addressed before, so I will be brief.

There is nothing magic about 6 months; some experts would say a year, and some might say only 3-4 months.  The point is that after some time, the immune system either eradicates the virus or reduces it to such low amounts that transmission is unlikely.  Whether most people are biologically cured--virus totally gone--isn't known.  But your term "consider oneself cured" probably is valid.

The other aspect is that everybody gets exposed to HPV anyway.  In most cases, a person's risk of catching HPV probably is not reduced by knowing that a partner did or did not have a past HPV diagnosis.  The chance of exposure is just a great from partners who have no such history.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[Daisyjoy]

Hi Bob, if you review the Doctor's previous answers in detail, you will see he bases his answer on sensitive DNA testing.  According to the ARHP, most people (up to 90%) who test positive for HPV with very sensitive tests for HPV (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] and Hybrid Capture II) will become HPV negative on the same tests within 6-24 months from first testing positive. This is due to an effective immune response to HPV.  This is also is in agreement with the CDC and ASHA.