Prevalence of Types 6 and 11

[cautiouslyscared11]

I keep reading information on genital warts. It says that 1-5% of the population has it. But then Guardasil protects the 4 "most common strains", including the two that "1-5%" get. However, on medhelp, I found out that 10% of sexually active people may get the genital warts strain by age 40. I know that the high/intermediate risk strains are very much out there and that the majority of people will get that. So, does that make the genital warts strain seem like a different type of disease then the high risk ones even though they are from the same family? Do you think a lot of people really are infected with the low risk strains sometime in their life, especially when single and dating in their 20-30s?
The doctors on here recommend Guardasil for young and less sexually experienced people and mentioned that if you're older, chances are that you have already been infected with the strains in Guardasil. I'm assuming that would include the low risk strains. On the other hand, brochures on HPV mention that only 5% of people with HPV get genital warts. So, I was wondering if I was very unlucky to get this or is it more prevalent than we think?

[cautiouslyscared11]

You have a good point there!. The percentages (1-5%) in the brochures are low but those strains are considered common, so that's ironic. I feel like I would've had a better chance getting struck by lightning then to get this from one of the two guys I was with in the past year even though I regret what I've done. They must've been the 1 in 100, and I would never have guessed. True, guys can't really know if they have it. Women can't really get tested either unless they show warts. Most medical offices only test women for the high strains. You have to do some major research to find a place that tests for low strains via a pap smear. I asked the doctors about the low strains and they kind of just brushed it off and said not to worry unless I actually saw any warts and just use condoms. So yeah, maybe that's how those low strains are passed unknowingly.

[veryworried420]

IMO, it is more prevalent than most people think.  Millions of people are walking around not knowing they have it. What you can't see can't hurt you or others, etc. Not all warts are visible to the naked eye or are hiding in places you can't see (ex: inside your anus).  Since men cannot be tested, the only men that you see on any site posting about it either have warts (symptoms) or thyey slept with someone who admits to having the high risk strain. Else how would any man know?