HPV questions

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c105366@yahoo.com - 06 Oct 2004 19:59 GMT

Hi, my girlfriend of 3 months has just told me she has/had genital
warts. The reason she told me is that her pap smear has indicated a
problem... she's been re-tested and we're waiting for the result. I
had always thought warts were cleared up with antibiotics or something
simple like that but apparently not.

From reading the internet I'm still unclear about some things. Can
anyone help? We've had sex a lot of times always using a condom. We've
also performed oral sex on eachother (without a condom) and had anal
sex once (without a condom). So my questions...

1. She has had no outbreaks for 2 years. Could I have been infected
from her even if she isn't having an outbreak?

2. Does any type of condom definitely protect against HPV?

3. If her HPV has symptoms (warts), then will I also develop warts if
I get infected?

4. I've had a sore throat for about 2 months, which seems to
correspond with when I went down on her first - any chance I could
have caught something?

5. Is there any way to have sexual relations with someone who has had
HPV but not contract HPV yourself?

Thank for helping.

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awarmplace@gmail.com - 07 Oct 2004 17:26 GMT

> Hi, my girlfriend of 3 months has just told me she has/had genital
> warts. The reason she told me is that her pap smear has indicated a
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Thank for helping.

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Elizabeth - 07 Oct 2004 22:31 GMT

> 1. She has had no outbreaks for 2 years. Could I have been infected
> from her even if she isn't having an outbreak?

Yes. One study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reported that almost half of women
infected with HPV had no obvious symptoms.

> 2. Does any type of condom definitely protect against HPV?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), HPV infection can
occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or
protected by a latex condom, as well as in areas that are not covered.
While the effect of condoms in preventing HPV infection is unknown,
condom use has been associated with a lower rate of cervical cancer,
an HPV-associated disease.

> 3. If her HPV has symptoms (warts), then will I also develop warts if
> I get infected?

Again, according to the CDC, about two-thirds of people who have
sexual contact with a partner with genital warts will develop warts,
usually within 3 months of contact.

> 4. I've had a sore throat for about 2 months, which seems to
> correspond with when I went down on her first - any chance I could
> have caught something?

The CDC states that HPV prefers genital and anal skin. Unless an
individual has a severely weakened immune system, genital warts
generally do not show up in one's mouth or throat. However, there are
plenty of other infections that can be transferred via oral sex:
Gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, and chlamydia come to mind.

> 5. Is there any way to have sexual relations with someone who has had
> HPV but not contract HPV yourself?

HPV is probably by far the most common STI, depending on whose
research you read. However, it is still difficult to detect in most
cases and many people infected with HPV have no symptoms. Unlike
herpes, scientists are not even sure if HPV finally burns itself out
of an individual's system after time, or, if the virus just remains
dormant.

In all honesty, if you have been having sex with this person for some
time then you have probably already come in contact with HPV.

Go check out the CDC's web site for more information:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#symptoms

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c105366@yahoo.com - 08 Oct 2004 17:54 GMT

>...

Lizzy, thanks for the info - appeciate your help :) On that website it
says... "No HPV tests are available for men." Really?

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