HPV question

[kramie]

Hello,
I had a cervical dyplasia over a decade ago and got treatment with a LEEP.  Since then, I have had negative paps.  Do i need to tell current partners about this past history?  Can I still transmit the virus to them?  Am I considered non infectious at this point?  What about oral sex?  How many women would you estimate are just like me (with my history of HPV, LEEP, and negative paps since?)  How common is this really?

Also, I have had three new partners.  Two I used condoms with and the other I did not.  What are the chances of me getting HPV again. I am 43.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There are thousand of women in situations similar to yours, precisely how many is hard to say.  As I said above, I see no need to informa future sex partners about your past HPV-related disease. That is ancient history and long past. EWH

[kramie]

In your estimation, how many women statistically are in the same boat as me?  How many men and women statistically speaking have had HPV by the their 40's would you say?  With my recent history, 3 partners, (2 protected, 1 unprotected) would I have of getting HPV again?  I am still highly anxious about the implications of HPV for my partners even though it's been so long.  If you were to tell a potential partner, what would be the best words to use?

Thank you, Doctor.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Thanks for your question.  In general, we do not feel there is a need for informing partners of past HPV infections, no matter what sort of sex act is involved.  The infections are widespread and most resolve without consequences.  In your case there are even more reasons why disclose is not needed.  Most importantly, your LEEP a decade ago destroyed the infected tissue- you can be confident of this based on your negative PAPs since that time.  There is no reason to think that you are still infected with HPV

I have pasted in a link to an earlier reply to another client by Dr. Handsfield which summarizes our general approach to partner notification for persons with HPV infections and contains links to other, similar discussions.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Past-HPV/show/1814012

I hope these comments are helpful to you.  EWH
Also, just in case your are wondering, that you had cervical dysplasia does NOT suggest that the HPV strain you had years ago was more virulent than others, you were just one of the unlikely persons whose infection progressed.  EWH