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STDs (Expert Forum)
Genital Wart Question
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
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.
Genital Wart Question
by Bobby321, Apr 30, 2008 11:10AM
Hi,
I have two very brief questions -
1. I have recently been diagnosed with Genital Warts, didnt realise as warts were very small and I guess did not check for them very often, I was in a relationship for three months, while I had the warts and had unprotected sex numerous times, relationship ended and im pretty sure i did not get from that particular partner, so because I had warts will she have them to if she was not immune from the particular strain or wahtever?
2. Is it rare for warts to appear on the head of the penis near the opening, as i have a tiny red blemish that looks slightly raised appear recently, would you presume its the same thing?
Thank you
I have two very brief questions -
1. I have recently been diagnosed with Genital Warts, didnt realise as warts were very small and I guess did not check for them very often, I was in a relationship for three months, while I had the warts and had unprotected sex numerous times, relationship ended and im pretty sure i did not get from that particular partner, so because I had warts will she have them to if she was not immune from the particular strain or wahtever?
2. Is it rare for warts to appear on the head of the penis near the opening, as i have a tiny red blemish that looks slightly raised appear recently, would you presume its the same thing?
Thank you
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Apr 30, 2008 01:02PM
, Apr 30, 2008 01:02PM
You ask reasonable questions. Straight to them:
1) Clearly your partner was exposed to your HPV infection when you were highly contagious. If she happened to have been infected previously with the same HPV type that caused your warts, she probably was immune. But most likely she became infected with your HPV strain. However, not all infected people will develop visible warts. For these reasons (and simply out of kindness) you should contact your former partner and tell her about your infection. If she has noticed nothing wrong, it's up to her whether to visit her health care provider to check it out. She also should speak to her provider about getting the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) to prevent future infections with the most common wart-causing and cancer-causing HPV types.
2) Warts can appear anywhere on the penis, including the head and near the opening, but they usually are not red in color. There are small glands that appear normally near the urethral opening, one on each side. These periurethral glands can sometimes appear as a red bump, not noticed until someone starts examining himself closely. However, I cannot make any diagnosis from a distance. If you're pretty sure the red bump is new, you should return to the provider who diagnosed your warts and check it out. If you still have left over wart medication (for example, if you were treated with Condylox or Aldara), do not be tempted to treat yourself without knowing for sure that it's a wart.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
1) Clearly your partner was exposed to your HPV infection when you were highly contagious. If she happened to have been infected previously with the same HPV type that caused your warts, she probably was immune. But most likely she became infected with your HPV strain. However, not all infected people will develop visible warts. For these reasons (and simply out of kindness) you should contact your former partner and tell her about your infection. If she has noticed nothing wrong, it's up to her whether to visit her health care provider to check it out. She also should speak to her provider about getting the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) to prevent future infections with the most common wart-causing and cancer-causing HPV types.
2) Warts can appear anywhere on the penis, including the head and near the opening, but they usually are not red in color. There are small glands that appear normally near the urethral opening, one on each side. These periurethral glands can sometimes appear as a red bump, not noticed until someone starts examining himself closely. However, I cannot make any diagnosis from a distance. If you're pretty sure the red bump is new, you should return to the provider who diagnosed your warts and check it out. If you still have left over wart medication (for example, if you were treated with Condylox or Aldara), do not be tempted to treat yourself without knowing for sure that it's a wart.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
3. A one off unprotected encounter happened very shortly after and before i was diagnosed, I know the person extremely well and of course will tell her about my little problem, but is she at such a high risk as it was only one night?
Just to add i have had many sleepless nights massively worrying about this, i know its my fault for being so irresponsible etc etc etc, but is this something that i am going to have to carry forever, it kind of feels like i am now a lepar and no one will want to touch me if they know...Anyway ....
Kindest Regards and thanks for all your help
Don't be so hard on yourself. It doesn't seem you were irresponsible. Even if you thought something might be wrong but weren't sure for a few days before your diagnosis, the human mind is capable of incredible denial. It sounds to me that you did not intentionally or irresponsibly expose either partner. Certainly you are behaving responsibly now. HPV is an impersonal virus, not a mark of immorality. (Same for all STDs.)