Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
STDs (Expert Forum)
HPV question
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
HPV question
by rubies200, Apr 10, 2008 12:09PM
Hello Doctor,
15 weeks ago I had a unprotected sex and sex with a condom with the same partner multiple times after that. I was tested for all stds a few days ago, results all negative. I had been having some discharge and vaginal irritation-that was what brought me in to the doctor. I asked the doctor to be tested for HPV and he said it was not necessary as he doesn't think I have signs of genital warts and my last pap smear 10 months ago was normal. He said that HPV testing is not very useful for those under 30( I'm 29) because many women come back with a positive result.
That has me confused. I always had the impression that the HPV test is useful in identifying what strains you may have and if you have the strain that causes genital warts.
My questions are:
Is my doctor correct??
Is there a test that identifies strains of HPV-specifically the the strain the cause genital warts??
Do I need still need to pursue the HPV testing??
Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
15 weeks ago I had a unprotected sex and sex with a condom with the same partner multiple times after that. I was tested for all stds a few days ago, results all negative. I had been having some discharge and vaginal irritation-that was what brought me in to the doctor. I asked the doctor to be tested for HPV and he said it was not necessary as he doesn't think I have signs of genital warts and my last pap smear 10 months ago was normal. He said that HPV testing is not very useful for those under 30( I'm 29) because many women come back with a positive result.
That has me confused. I always had the impression that the HPV test is useful in identifying what strains you may have and if you have the strain that causes genital warts.
My questions are:
Is my doctor correct??
Is there a test that identifies strains of HPV-specifically the the strain the cause genital warts??
Do I need still need to pursue the HPV testing??
Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Apr 10, 2008 01:23PM
, Apr 10, 2008 01:23PM
The topic of HPV and genital warts is a complex one. I will try to provide some facts. For addition information on this most common of STDs, I would suggest search for other HPV- and wart-related Q&A on this site, as well seeking addition information on sites such as the American Social health Association web-site (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of ASHA)..
Before I get into HPV, let me mention that neither warts nor HPV regularly cause vaginal discharge. Now, on to HPV. HPV is the most commonly acquired STD. Over 85% of sexually active women will have HPV infection at some time in their lives. 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 8-10 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. With this as background, I would agree with your doctor. HPV testing is not recommended, even if your partner was known to have HPV or warts and you did not mention that. Rather, if you were found to have HPV at this time, you would not know where you got it and, more importantly, there would be no therapy recommended other than a repeat Pap smear upon your next scheduled appointment. In answer to your specific questions:
1. Your doctor sounds well informed. I would go with his advice.
2. There are tests, they are expensive and offer you no information that would help you in any way at this time.
3. Nope. You have a good doctor and get regular check ups. This is the right thing to do and the best thing you can do at this time.
Hope this helps. EWH
Before I get into HPV, let me mention that neither warts nor HPV regularly cause vaginal discharge. Now, on to HPV. HPV is the most commonly acquired STD. Over 85% of sexually active women will have HPV infection at some time in their lives. 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 8-10 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. With this as background, I would agree with your doctor. HPV testing is not recommended, even if your partner was known to have HPV or warts and you did not mention that. Rather, if you were found to have HPV at this time, you would not know where you got it and, more importantly, there would be no therapy recommended other than a repeat Pap smear upon your next scheduled appointment. In answer to your specific questions:
1. Your doctor sounds well informed. I would go with his advice.
2. There are tests, they are expensive and offer you no information that would help you in any way at this time.
3. Nope. You have a good doctor and get regular check ups. This is the right thing to do and the best thing you can do at this time.
Hope this helps. EWH
It is possible either one of you had this prior to the relationship. There is no way of knowing who had it and it doesn't even matter. HPV is very common, and if he's not concerned, why are you?
And if your doc said it was a bladder infection, then it probably was.
AJ