[Question #10071] HPV Fear

26 months ago

Hi doctors

I have developed a new “what if fear” me (male) and my partner have been together for 10 plus years. We are each others first and only sexual partners. However, throughout the years I have engaged in mutual masturbation/hand jobs with other men. Now I am afraid of the possibility of getting Hpv and passing it to her. I was never vaccinated, and she only received her first gardisal shot (about 11 years ago). My questions are:

1. What is the likelihood of me getting hpv from a hand job, then passing it to her during sex?

2. Should I tell her about my past infidelities and encourage her to get tested for hpv? Or is is best to say nothing

3. This ordeal has started to cause me a great amount of stress, and I noticed that “anylabtestnow” offers a urine hpv test for me. How reliable is this test? Should I get tested for hpv?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

26 months ago

Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your questions. I’ll be glad to comment and hope that my answers will help to relieve your concerns. In addition to reviewing the comments I’m about to make, I would encourage you to look at other threads on this forum regarding the topic of HPV. As you do that do that, you will find that for nearly everyone HPV is in innocuous, largely self-limited infection which rarely causes problems for persons who become infected. In your own situation your risk for infection is minimal. HPV is not transmitted through hand to genital contact in the course of mutual masturbation. Thus, in response to your specific questions:

1. See above. It is unlikely that you acquired HPV through receipt of masturbation by other persons.

2. I see no reason related to HPV for you to tell your partner of your contacts with other men. Presuming that your partner undergoes recommended regular reproductive health/gynecologic evaluations, she is probably tested on those occasions for HPV related infections.

3. What tests for HPV in men are unreliable and not recommended.

I hope this information in perspective is helpful. EWH.

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26 months ago

Thank you doctor. A few other questions:

1. I read new studies that only one dose of the hpv vaccine is just as effective as 2 or 3 doses. Is it likely that the dose she got in 2010 is still effective? She should get re-vaccinated

2.Her last pap was 4 years ago and was normal. She should be getting her next one a few months from now. This is where my anxiety is stemming from. Should I just put this whole thing behind me ?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

26 months ago

As you said in the 1rst sentence of your question, this is a "what if" fear. Your partner had a negative exam 4 years ago. She is unlikely to develop on since then. Further, in many practices testing practices have changed during that interval so that should detection of HPV occur at this time (quite unlikely) there is no way to tell how long it has been there. I really don't think you should be worried. Regarding your f/u questions:

1. Two doses of vaccine appear to be as effective as 3 but a single injection may not provide lasting detection. It would be reasonable for her to get catch up vaccination.

2. Yes, you should put your fears aside. Sounds like for whatever reason, you are now feeling guilty about your interactions with other men.

EWH

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26 months ago

Thank you doctor. A few last questions then hopefully I can put this behind me:

1. What if we were touching each others penises, then reach over and touched our own? Would this lead to hpv?

2 I found this article by WHO https://www.who.int/news/item/11-04-2022-one-dose-human-papillomavirus-(hpv)-vaccine-offers-solid-protection-against-cervical-cancer Which says that one gardisal shot is just as effective. Countries like Egypt have already started to recommend only one shot instead of 2. Since my partner had one shot of gardisal years ago (about 10-11 years ago), should this lessen my worries?

3. Is this my guild or do I have a well founded fear?

4. I saw an article that said a study of virgins had hpv. How did they get it if it’s only thought to occur via sex (anal/oral/vaginal)?

I’m so confused and overwhelmed by all of the information out there

Edward W. Hook M.D.

26 months ago

We provide up to three responses to each client's questions. As this is my 3rd response, the thread will be closed shortly. You really are over reacting here. As I mentioned above, something appears to have set you off- possibly guilt over your virtually no risk encounters. In response to your questions which are in cme cases, somewhat repetitive:

1. What if we were touching each others penises, then reach over and touched our own? Would this lead to hpv?

As I said in my initial response- "HPV is not transmitted through hand to genital contact in the course of mutual masturbation"

One shot does elicit an antibody response but, as I said in response to your last follow-up questions, "...a single injection may not provide lasting detection". i meant protection, not detection. Most experts are comfortable with two doses of Gardasil but would not assure you that a single dose would cause lasting protection.

3. Is this my guild or do I have a well founded fear?

This is your guilt and your concerns are not well founded (as I have also said earlier)

4. I saw an article that said a study of virgins had hpv. How did they get it if it’s only thought to occur via sex (anal/oral/vaginal)?

This is true. Sex means many things to many people. Virgins who have HPV may have participated in frottage (body to body rubbing). The vast majority of infections result from penetrative sexual contact. Infections is virgins are very, rare.

I think you are getting unnecessarily worried. The internet is not your friend here. Much of what is there is incorrect, either because it it taken out of context, misinterpreted, out of date or just plain wrong. I urge you to stay off the internet.

This will complete this thread. If you cannot control your anxieties, I would suggest that you seek counseling to help address your severely out of proportion anxieties. EWH

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