HPV Questions

[paul282]

Good Afternoon,

I have a few questions with regards to HPV:

My story:

Noticed a small lump on penis, thought nothing of it really, not being an std expert i just forgot about it... Anyway months later with the lump still there I had unprotected rather drunken sex with a girl I know and like ...... it was a one off but things have been moving along & i would like to forge a relationship, we have not had unprotected sex since, so i thought it would be sensible before we did again to get checked out...... All ok for everything other than being told that the small lump was indeed a genital wart!! So I would like to know this:

If i passed on the HPV virus how likely is she to devolop warts herself?

What are the chances of her getting from one night of sex?

I have actually started to notice other little lumps appear, they have now been frozen (thats good fun), but of course i must still have an active infection, if this is the case will condoms protect her or should I assume that she already has it & hope she gets no symptoms and get mine removed as and when they appear? By me having warts will it increase her chance of getting visible ones?

As mentioned previously i had the wart for at least six months, it did not go away on its own, so out of curiosty what happens when my immune system does fight them off, do they just fall off??

I think I have heard someone say that smoking decreases the chances of the warts going of their own accord, is this the case as will be an extra incentive to quit.


Thanks in advance

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Stop asking for percentages, I have told you there are not data.  Iw ill not make them up for the purpose of your discussions with your partner.  She has been exposed.  Chances are she did not get infected at that time but only time wil tell.  EWH

[paul282]

Ok Thanks Doc, Im just trying to get as much info as i can before I tell the other party....So just to recap, from our only unprotected exposure she may get warts, she may not, something like a 50/50% chance? Now presumably because I have the strain that actually develops visible warts and if she has indeed become infected & was not immune, will she definately get them, just so i can pre-warn her & of course make her hate me for the rest of her life??

Last question, and I appreciate your help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There are no percentages to work with here.  The factors which effect likelyhood of tranmission include the frequency of infection, whether the exposed partner already has immunity, and many, many other variables.  I cannot give you a number.  EWH

[paul282]

Thank you for your comments Doctor, It has help...... just one last question, if someone was to have regular sex with a person with warts is that person more likely to actually devolop warts, is it higher than the 2% that will actually show symptoms?

Kind Regards

[Edward W Hook, MD]

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)..


The proportion of time that your HPV infection will lead to similar infection in an exposed partner is unknown.  As for most STDs, the chances of transmission are less than 50%, probably far lower.

Condoms do reduce risk of transmission of warts.  At the same time, as an STD, they are not perfect, thus since you have warts there is a small but nonetheless real chance that you could transmit them to her.  Condoms help a great deal however.

the therapy you have received help your body to fight the warts.  Even without treatment over 90% of HPV infections go away within a year of acquisition.  When they ressolve the gradually get smaller and disappear.

I am not aware of data that suggest that somking change that chances of warts ressolving or not.  There is an observation that peole who smoke are more likely to get HPV than those who do not but this is becasue, as a group, smokers tend to be more willing to take risks (like smoking) than those who do not.

Hope htishelps.  EWH