Studiews shows link between HPV virus and Oral Cancer

[schmutzie]

It was mentioned in a post by Sheryl that HPV is difficult and time consuming to diagnose.

I know I have HPV as I have and still suffer from genital warts. However, I'm not sure if my girlfriend does and and we do have unprotected sex, incl. oral sex.

1. What are the implications if it appears that my body is unable to clear the HPV (ie. re-occuring warts etc.)?

2. What's the likelihood of my girlfriend and I "ping-ponging" the virus if we continue to have unprotected sex?

3. Where can we get a test to diagnose the type of HPV that we potentially have (and whether a vaccine is still relevant)?

4. What are the implications if/when we should decide to have children?

5. I take it that the virus can not spread through sharing spoons/forks/drinks, ie. saliva (from the perspective that I do not want to pass it on to other people) as with HIV or other STD?

I'm will normally apply a liquid (the medical name escapes me ATM) to warts over a course of 3-4 days after which they fall/wash off. The warts tend to be small and this procedure does no longer seem that effective (they come back in the same spots). However, it seems to be the recommended treatment for smaller warts, so not sure what else I can try to clear them out? I've had them 3 times now over the course of 6-8 months.

Might be worth mentioning that I have also suffered from foot and hand warts when I was young(er), but this was successfully treated (I hope - can be hard to tell particularly with foot warts).

It's weird that the more common some type of virus/infection is, the less people seem to know about it!

Edited May 9, 2010 by schmutzie

[Sheryl]

It was mentioned in a post by Sheryl that HPV is difficult and time consuming to diagnose.

I know I have HPV as I have and still suffer from genital warts. However, I'm not sure if my girlfriend does and and we do have unprotected sex, incl. oral sex.

1. What are the implications if it appears that my body is unable to clear the HPV (ie. re-occuring warts etc.)?

2. What's the likelihood of my girlfriend and I "ping-ponging" the virus if we continue to have unprotected sex?

3. Where can we get a test to diagnose the type of HPV that we potentially have (and whether a vaccine is still relevant)?

4. What are the implications if/when we should decide to have children?

5. I take it that the virus can not spread through sharing spoons/forks/drinks, ie. saliva (from the perspective that I do not want to pass it on to other people) as with HIV or other STD?

I'm will normally apply a liquid (the medical name escapes me ATM) to warts over a course of 3-4 days after which they fall/wash off. The warts tend to be small and this procedure does no longer seem that effective (they come back in the same spots). However, it seems to be the recommended treatment for smaller warts, so not sure what else I can try to clear them out? I've had them 3 times now over the course of 6-8 months.

Might be worth mentioning that I have also suffered from foot and hand warts when I was young(er), but this was successfully treated (I hope - can be hard to tell particularly with foot warts).

It's weird that the more common some type of virus/infection is, the less people seem to know about it!

Easy question first - do not worry about passing the infection to people other than sexual partners.

There is a high likelihood that your gf has contacted HPV and she should immediately get a "thin prep" done to check for cervical abnormalities. The big risk for her is cervical cancer. When she goes for that, she should let the Doctor know that her bf has genital warts.

Both you and she should get tested for HIV. You are at higher than average risk as the presence of genital warts increases susceptibility. In addition, the more frequent recurrence of the lesions could be a sign of immunosuppression.

Topical treatment of genital warts requires multiple treatments over a long period and sometimes do not work. Alternative treatments include cryotherapy, electrocauterization, laser, or surgical excision. Also, in uncircumcised men, circumcision may help prevent recurrences.

You should not have unprotected sex with your gf (or anyone else) while you have visible lesions.

In terms of having children, main risk is if she develops cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer in which case treatment might interfere with ability to bear children. Having annual thin preps so that any abnormal cells can be identified and treated early will greatly reduce the likelihood of that occurring.

Suggest you see a specialist in infectious disease. Any of the doctors listed in the pinned notice on HIV would do as they are also proficient in the treatment of other STDs.

[schmutzie]

It was mentioned in a post by Sheryl that HPV is difficult and time consuming to diagnose.

I know I have HPV as I have and still suffer from genital warts. However, I'm not sure if my girlfriend does and and we do have unprotected sex, incl. oral sex.

1. What are the implications if it appears that my body is unable to clear the HPV (ie. re-occuring warts etc.)?

2. What's the likelihood of my girlfriend and I "ping-ponging" the virus if we continue to have unprotected sex?

3. Where can we get a test to diagnose the type of HPV that we potentially have (and whether a vaccine is still relevant)?

4. What are the implications if/when we should decide to have children?

5. I take it that the virus can not spread through sharing spoons/forks/drinks, ie. saliva (from the perspective that I do not want to pass it on to other people) as with HIV or other STD?

I'm will normally apply a liquid (the medical name escapes me ATM) to warts over a course of 3-4 days after which they fall/wash off. The warts tend to be small and this procedure does no longer seem that effective (they come back in the same spots). However, it seems to be the recommended treatment for smaller warts, so not sure what else I can try to clear them out? I've had them 3 times now over the course of 6-8 months.

Might be worth mentioning that I have also suffered from foot and hand warts when I was young(er), but this was successfully treated (I hope - can be hard to tell particularly with foot warts).

It's weird that the more common some type of virus/infection is, the less people seem to know about it!

Easy question first - do not worry about passing the infection to people other than sexual partners.

There is a high likelihood that your gf has contacted HPV and she should immediately get a "thin prep" done to check for cervical abnormalities. The big risk for her is cervical cancer. When she goes for that, she should let the Doctor know that her bf has genital warts.

Both you and she should get tested for HIV. You are at higher than average risk as the presence of genital warts increases susceptibility. In addition, the more frequent recurrence of the lesions could be a sign of immunosuppression.

Topical treatment of genital warts requires multiple treatments over a long period and sometimes do not work. Alternative treatments include cryotherapy, electrocauterization, laser, or surgical excision. Also, in uncircumcised men, circumcision may help prevent recurrences.

You should not have unprotected sex with your gf (or anyone else) while you have visible lesions.

In terms of having children, main risk is if she develops cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer in which case treatment might interfere with ability to bear children. Having annual thin preps so that any abnormal cells can be identified and treated early will greatly reduce the likelihood of that occurring.

Suggest you see a specialist in infectious disease. Any of the doctors listed in the pinned notice on HIV would do as they are also proficient in the treatment of other STDs.

Thanks for your reply. Now I need to figure out how to explain "thin prep"...

[Sheryl]

It is the newer version of what was called a pap smear.

[Hairy]

I hesitate to ask but, are the risks reduced if you don't swallow ?

No, the virus is not in the semen itself, it's on the skin (or in the mouth). So, swallowing or not swallowing won't have any meaningful effect.

[Hairy]

That's interesting. I had assumed most all adults had been exposed to HPV. Aren't cold sores on the lips caused by HPV? It sounds like it isn't such a bad idea to get the vaccine for different age groups, women, and certainly gay men. How much does the vaccine cost in Thailand?

Last I heard, the HPV vaccine was not effective on men, gay or otherwise. This is why it was only being pushed for use on girls.

Just did a little googling to check, and it looks like, as of about February 2010, They(*) have decided that it may be effective against two strains of HPV in men, but the strains are not the cancer-causing strains, just wart-causing strains. Do keep in mind that there are somewhere over a hundred different HPV strains.

(*) In this case, the They who control medical information, not the Them who are in charge of weather control or the stock market.