[Question #10659] Hepatitis and HPV Risk
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21 months ago
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I am reaching out because I want to find out what my risk is for certain STDs associated with certain sexual activities.
Right now I want to focus on hepatitis and also HPV. I will start my questions with Hepatitis and my follow up questions will pertain to HPV.
So lets say I have a sexual encounter with a woman who has some strain of hepatitis, and she has a little bit of blood coming into her mouth from an open cut. What are the chances of me contracting hepatitis from her if I receive condom-less oral sex from her? I know there are multiple strains, so my question would pertain to all of them. I have the vaccine for hepatitis A, and am looking into getting the vaccine for hepatitis B.
Really I am also looking to see what the risk is in general for catching hepatitis by receiving condom-less oral sex in general whether it be from a sex worker, or a random girl I met out at a party or something.
So lets say I have a sexual encounter with a woman who has some strain of hepatitis, and she has a little bit of blood coming into her mouth from an open cut. What are the chances of me contracting hepatitis from her if I receive condom-less oral sex from her? I know there are multiple strains, so my question would pertain to all of them. I have the vaccine for hepatitis A, and am looking into getting the vaccine for hepatitis B.
Really I am also looking to see what the risk is in general for catching hepatitis by receiving condom-less oral sex in general whether it be from a sex worker, or a random girl I met out at a party or something.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
21 months ago
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Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment. There are 3 forms of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A, B, and C, of which only hepatitis B is meaningfully transmitted as an STI. Hepatitis A is acquired through ingestion of food or water contaminated by feces and hepatitis C is almost entirely transmitted though needles, although VERY rarely hepatitis C, can be acquired through receptive rectal intercourse. Hepatitis C is sexually transmitted but only through ano-genital or penile-vaginal contact. There are no data to suggest that any for or hepatitis as meaningfully acquired through receipt of oral sex, even if the persons performing oral sex has blood in their mouth, oral sores, or dental/gum disease.
The absolutely best way to prevent sexually acquired hepatitis B or HPV is by getting the vaccines for these two infections. EWH
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21 months ago
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Ok, so just to clarify - any strains of hepatitis can't really be caught via oral sex and isn't really worth worrying about. I know with HIV, it does not transmit to the receiver via oral sex, even if there is a little blood in the givers mouth because saliva is somewhat anti HIV and the virus bursts in the mouth of the giver before it can be transmitted to the receiver. Is the situation similar for hepatitis and thats why it cant be transmitted?
Thats all for hepatitis. In regards to HPV, I actually caught it before in my early teens. I haven't had an outbreak for years and years. I also got the vaccine before I turned 27 or 26 or whatever age limit they gave me at the time.
Anyways, I know there are multiple strains of HPV out there. My question is what are my chances of catching any of them (at least ones that give symptoms and pain etc)? This pertains to oral sex with and without a condom (from a woman, to me a man being the receiver), and regular intercourse with and without a condom from a random person or a sex worker.
Thats all for hepatitis. In regards to HPV, I actually caught it before in my early teens. I haven't had an outbreak for years and years. I also got the vaccine before I turned 27 or 26 or whatever age limit they gave me at the time.
Anyways, I know there are multiple strains of HPV out there. My question is what are my chances of catching any of them (at least ones that give symptoms and pain etc)? This pertains to oral sex with and without a condom (from a woman, to me a man being the receiver), and regular intercourse with and without a condom from a random person or a sex worker.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
21 months ago
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The oral cavity is less commonly infected by HPV than the genital tract. When it does, HPV-16 a type cover by the vaccine is the most common HPV type present.
Most HPV infections are asymptomatic. Some (mostly types 6 and 11 which cause over 90% of visible warts) cause visible warts. Whether visible or not, most HPV infections do NOT cause symptoms.
The vaccine you received covers the HPV types that cause over 90% of visible warts and the majority of asymptomatic genital infections. Having received the vaccine you have taken the most important step that can be taken in HPV prevention. EWH
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21 months ago
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Understood. I guess what I am really trying to quantify is what my risk really is for any future infection given the situation I have explained above and having multiple sexual partners in the future. Can you please comment?
At the same time, can you please answer my last question comparing HIV and Hepatitis transmission via oral sex? The part where I was wondering if Hepatitis behaves the same way HIV does in the mouth?
Thank you for your help!
At the same time, can you please answer my last question comparing HIV and Hepatitis transmission via oral sex? The part where I was wondering if Hepatitis behaves the same way HIV does in the mouth?
Thank you for your help!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
21 months ago
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The mechanism by which oral infection due to HIV or hepatitis B is resisted is not known and I would be guessing. Suffice it to say that infection with either is virtually unheard of. Beyond that, I cannot provide the mechanism.
Most sexually active persons get HPV. For those who are vaccinated, the risk for infection is much, much lower but not all HPV types are covered by the vaccine. In general most experts do not worry about HPV even in unvaccinated persons- most people become infected, in nearly everyone the infection resolves on its own. Infections are asymptomatic. HPV is not something to worry about.
I hope this information is helpful. For further information on HPV, its significance and its management, I would encourage you to read other posts on this forum on the topic. We make prior posts available so that clients can learn from our responses to others. Another good source on information about HPV is found at the web site of the Forum's sponsor, the American Sexual Health Association. As I suspect you know, we provide up to three resp0onses to each client's questions. This is my third response, thus this thread will be closed shortly without further responses.
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21 months ago
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Hepatitis B and C, correct?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
21 months ago
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There is no evidence that, like HIV, either hepatitis B or hepatitis C is acquired to any meaningful extent from receipt of oral sex.
Closing the thread now. EWH
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