HPV from handjob/fingering?

[Scarra]

Hello, I recently found out that I have HPV. I'm not sure from where or who. But I was with my girlfriend a few days before finding out where we engaged in sexual acts. I fingered her, and she gave me a handjob. Is there any reasonable chance where I could have given it to her from fingering her, or she could have contracted it from my uncovered penis. I have started to notice a genital wart, but I'm fairly positive that she didn't touch it.

I really don't know what to do. It's bad enough that I have it, but now I would feel even worse if I gave it to her. Please help...

[Scarra]

Thank you for your answer! It's really helped me alleviate some of the worries I've had. But... as someone who likes to be pragmatic in situations like these, I can't help but wonder how HPV will affect my sex life as a whole?

I've researched some on my own, and know that HPV is usually spread through genital-to-genital contact, and, as such, can't be transmitted through clothing (i.e. "dry humping").

Is the likelihood of transfer/infection the same through oral sex as it is for hand-to-genital (as in rarely)? And if not, does the giving/receiving matter? If I do have HPV, if I give my girfriend oral sex, do I infect her? Or is there no chance of that since it can't spread through kissing?

I'm sorry if I am asking too much, I just need to know about this so I can be better prepared and cautious in the future.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help.  I presume that how you found out that you  have HPV is by noticing your genital wart.  If so, I recommend that you have someone who has seen other genital warts and be sure that this is what you have before assuming that this is the case.  Many people, even physicians, not uncommonly mistake some of the other common normal genital structures as genital warts.  

If you have a genital wart, it will be hard to know where you got it.  Further, if your girlfriend has had other sexual partners, she may already have HPV as well.  Over 80% of adult Americans have HPV.  

If your lesions is a genital wart, it reflects an infection that was acquired long ago.  HPV virtually never causes genital warts until at least three months after exposure and more typically they take 6 months to appear.

As for transmission through masturbation, while there remains much to be known about how HPV is transmitted (because the infection is so common), experts do agree that the infection is rarely, if ever transmitted throuigh hand to genital contact.

My advice is not to worry about this. I hope my contacts are helpful.  EWH