Genital Warts - 16 years later?

[Wife and Mom]

When I was 17, I contracted what was then called Condyloma or genital warts.  I immediately contacted a gynecologist and she removed them via "freezing my cervix" crytology I think was the term although it was a long time ago. I had no recurrence after that whatsoever.  Now I am 35, I have been married 10 years and have not had sex with anyone but my husband. Last week I found a small growth on my vagina which looked suspicious.  I went in to my obgyn and she confirmed it was a wart.  

I guess my question here is....is there any chance this is a recurrence of my virus from 16 yrs ago??  I am left assuming my husband must be having or have had an affair but I want to have my medical facts confirmed before I confront him. Because I was "wart free" for 7 years before I married him, he does not know about my previous virus. Help!

[ChicShane]

LukeL 91% of people with HPV clear forever within 2 years, the other 9% do have some reoccurance but this usually subsides after five years, this according to Dr. Handsfield, not sure what your point is.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

True, but why bring up herpes when it's not relevant here?

Dr. Rockoff

[LukeL]

genital warts and genital herpes have the risk of coming back from time to time for the rest of your life.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Please, please do not accuse your husband of having an affair on the basis of this diagnosis.  Warts can recur many years later all by themselves--on the hands, the genitls, or anywhere else.  There is simply no way to say whether it's the "same" wart or not.  If your husband had warts, they would be on the shaft of the penis, and you both could see them.  My advice is to just treat the wart and get on with things.  If your husband asks questions, you can answer truthfully about your past history, but really, it doesn't matter.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff