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HPV synopsis
Doctors, I would like to have CURRENT opinion on some HPV topics.
I am trying to formulate a concise 'consensus statement' about HPV for my new partner. I am planning to tell her about my genital wart infection and don't want to overwhelm her. My plan is to simply give her your answers in regards to HPV and she can make her decisions based on this HPV synopsis. Could you please help me and address the following questions/statements. Thank you in advance. If you would like to add anything else, I would really appreciate it! She is originally from China and I'm not sure how much knowledge, if any, she has about this issue.
1) Does French-kissing transmit HPV? Please give me an idea if this is very rare (like the probably of being struck by lightning). Do you see this in your clinic?
2) Does oral-to-genital HPV transmission occur? Again, could you please be more specific than saying, it's possible. I would really like to get an idea in terms of statistics or probabilities.
3) Is it true that genital HPV is a 'fact-of-life' for sexually active people? Is it true that 85-90% of the sexually active population gets HPV at some point?
4) Is it true that most people acquire HPV and never know it? Is this because the immune system controls the virus, and, therefore, most people who acquire genital hpv never have symptoms?
5) For women over 26, the best thing to do is simply to get a routine pap smear?
6) Does a person who struggles with recurrent warts have to abstain from intercourse and sexual contact?
7) Is it true that if someone has had a few partners in the past, s/he most probably has already been infected with HPV?
8) would it be ok for us to proceed with a sexual relationship using a condom? I have been undergoing treatment with cryoablation.
Thank you very much and anything else you would like to add would be much appreciated! My goal is to assure my girlfriend that engaging in protected sexual activity with me is not dangerous. thanks!
I am trying to formulate a concise 'consensus statement' about HPV for my new partner. I am planning to tell her about my genital wart infection and don't want to overwhelm her. My plan is to simply give her your answers in regards to HPV and she can make her decisions based on this HPV synopsis. Could you please help me and address the following questions/statements. Thank you in advance. If you would like to add anything else, I would really appreciate it! She is originally from China and I'm not sure how much knowledge, if any, she has about this issue.
1) Does French-kissing transmit HPV? Please give me an idea if this is very rare (like the probably of being struck by lightning). Do you see this in your clinic?
2) Does oral-to-genital HPV transmission occur? Again, could you please be more specific than saying, it's possible. I would really like to get an idea in terms of statistics or probabilities.
3) Is it true that genital HPV is a 'fact-of-life' for sexually active people? Is it true that 85-90% of the sexually active population gets HPV at some point?
4) Is it true that most people acquire HPV and never know it? Is this because the immune system controls the virus, and, therefore, most people who acquire genital hpv never have symptoms?
5) For women over 26, the best thing to do is simply to get a routine pap smear?
6) Does a person who struggles with recurrent warts have to abstain from intercourse and sexual contact?
7) Is it true that if someone has had a few partners in the past, s/he most probably has already been infected with HPV?
8) would it be ok for us to proceed with a sexual relationship using a condom? I have been undergoing treatment with cryoablation.
Thank you very much and anything else you would like to add would be much appreciated! My goal is to assure my girlfriend that engaging in protected sexual activity with me is not dangerous. thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Apologies for posting the wrong link. Here is the correct one: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV/show/1806155
1) The risk of new HPV infection is low at your and your partner's age. I didn't say that "everyone" should be immunized and I agree Gardasil is not likely to be helpful in you and your partner.
2) I am unaware of any cases of oral-oral transmission -- and glad to see in your second comment that you recognize this isn't worth worrying about.
3) I already agreed with the approach you suggest, as long as your partner is aware of your warts and willing to take the chance she could be infected.
Thanks again for your question. Take care.
1) The risk of new HPV infection is low at your and your partner's age. I didn't say that "everyone" should be immunized and I agree Gardasil is not likely to be helpful in you and your partner.
2) I am unaware of any cases of oral-oral transmission -- and glad to see in your second comment that you recognize this isn't worth worrying about.
3) I already agreed with the approach you suggest, as long as your partner is aware of your warts and willing to take the chance she could be infected.
Thanks again for your question. Take care.
I'm almost 40 years old, too, and 6 months seems like a lifetime. I want to enjoy myself sexually before I get too old. Assuming that I have only HPV (no other infections) and I tell my girlfriend that I am being treated, why wait if she doesn't have a problem? This is a recurrence and I dont know if in six months they will come back. Is there anything wrong with this approach? thanks
---and please disregard question #2 above, it was a silly question. thanks
---and please disregard question #2 above, it was a silly question. thanks
thank you. the thread/link that you posted was for my questions. can you re-post the other threads that had detailed discussions. quick follow-up:
1) I'm a bit confused---are you saying that it's recommended that someone over 26 years old get gardasil? Insurance doesn't cover this and why can't everyone then get it, if you're advocating everyone get vaccinated? my girlfriend is 39 years old.
2) have you ever seen in your clinic or read a case report or know of any studies that described oral-to-oral transmission?
thanks
1) I'm a bit confused---are you saying that it's recommended that someone over 26 years old get gardasil? Insurance doesn't cover this and why can't everyone then get it, if you're advocating everyone get vaccinated? my girlfriend is 39 years old.
2) have you ever seen in your clinic or read a case report or know of any studies that described oral-to-oral transmission?
thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
The basic facts about genital HPV and its transmission have not changed in the past year or two. For a comprehensive discussion, see the thread linked below, from just a couple days ago; and the other thread linked in that discussion. I'll answer your specific questions very succinctly, but feel free with a brief follow-up is you remain uncertain after those responses plus the information in the other threads.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV-synopsis/show/1806795
1) The genital HPV types are not know to be transmittee by kissing, French or otherwise. I can't say it's zero risk but it's certainly extremely low.
2) Genital HPV can be transmitted to a partner's oral cavity, but less efficiently than genital-to-genital transmission. Oral to genital transmission probably is rare.
3,4) These facts are true.
5) The primary recommendations are routine pap smears in women, which are most important over age 30; and immunization with Gardasil, the vaccine that protect against 4 of the most important HPV types.
6,8) In an ongoing partnership, the other partner can be assumed to be infected. A new partner is likely to be at risk, if s/he has not previously been vaccinated, or previously infected with the same HPV types causing the warts. But many couples conclude that genital wart just aren't serious enough to take any precautions. You should discuss it with your partner. If she and you decide it's important to avoid any possibility she will acquire warts, you have a few options: she can be vaccinated (understanding that protection isn't complete until after the third dose at 6 months); you can abstain until about 6 months after your warts have been treated (assuming warts don't recur in that time); and you can use condoms the next few months. Condoms aren't perfect, but would provide at least partial protection.
7) This also is true. The number of past sex partners is a poor predictor of the likelihood someone has (or has had) genital HPV.
I hope this has helped. Do look at the other threads.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The basic facts about genital HPV and its transmission have not changed in the past year or two. For a comprehensive discussion, see the thread linked below, from just a couple days ago; and the other thread linked in that discussion. I'll answer your specific questions very succinctly, but feel free with a brief follow-up is you remain uncertain after those responses plus the information in the other threads.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV-synopsis/show/1806795
1) The genital HPV types are not know to be transmittee by kissing, French or otherwise. I can't say it's zero risk but it's certainly extremely low.
2) Genital HPV can be transmitted to a partner's oral cavity, but less efficiently than genital-to-genital transmission. Oral to genital transmission probably is rare.
3,4) These facts are true.
5) The primary recommendations are routine pap smears in women, which are most important over age 30; and immunization with Gardasil, the vaccine that protect against 4 of the most important HPV types.
6,8) In an ongoing partnership, the other partner can be assumed to be infected. A new partner is likely to be at risk, if s/he has not previously been vaccinated, or previously infected with the same HPV types causing the warts. But many couples conclude that genital wart just aren't serious enough to take any precautions. You should discuss it with your partner. If she and you decide it's important to avoid any possibility she will acquire warts, you have a few options: she can be vaccinated (understanding that protection isn't complete until after the third dose at 6 months); you can abstain until about 6 months after your warts have been treated (assuming warts don't recur in that time); and you can use condoms the next few months. Condoms aren't perfect, but would provide at least partial protection.
7) This also is true. The number of past sex partners is a poor predictor of the likelihood someone has (or has had) genital HPV.
I hope this has helped. Do look at the other threads.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
