[Question #10855] Oral Hpv Concerns
19 months ago
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I had an interaction with Dr. HHH recently, I'm a 56 y/o male who has frequented sex workers. I have GW I discovered now about 22 days ago. Treated at derm and healing. Now my concern turns to oral Hpv. I used a follow up with Dr. HHH not realizing I can't start a new topic. My concerns physically were a mild sore throat/back of tongue (since gone), a raised papila (or papillae) on the back right side of my tongue, and I have been battling hoarseness for about 7-10 days. The raised papila seems slightly better, as does the throat/tongue soreness. But the hoarseness has me worried. I understand stress (which I have a ton of battling this issue) could cause this. Questions: 1) how common would it be for me to have both GW and oral Hpv arrive almost simultaneously? Am I imagining this, or is it very common? I realize my mind could be playing tricks on me, and I may not even have oral Hpv. 2) Would oral Hpv indicate it's Hpv 16 on my genitals, and therefore high risk? 3) You said majority of oral Hpv have no symptoms, but considering I have GW am I more likely to get symptomatic oral Hpv? 4) This could have come from oral sex with sex workers, or auto-innoculation? 5) How contagious would I be to wife and child with normal (non-French) kissing or any other day to day activities? 6) should I go to a doctor when I already know I have Hpv on another part of my body? Meaning minus a wart, how would they know? Test? 7) even if I have oral Hpv, how likely are warts to appear?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
19 months ago
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Welcome back to the Forum although I'm sorry you felt the need. In preparing to address your questions I reviewed your recent interaction with Dr. Handsfield and agree with all he said. Before I get to specifics, let me make some generalizations including that: oral HPV is far less common than genital infections, with only about 7% of Americans having oral HPV vs over 80% of adults having had genital HPV; that when oral HPV occurs it is typically asymptomatic; and that the types of HPV that cause over 90% of visible genital warts, types 6 and 11, rarely causes oral cavity infections. Type 16 is the most common HPV type associated with oral infections. As for your specific questions:
There are no data on this however simultaneous symptomatic dual site infection would be uncommon
---2) Would oral Hpv indicate it's Hpv 16 on my genitals, and therefore high risk?
See above, your genital infection is unlikely to be HPV 16 which causes "flat" HPV infections that are not readily seen
3) You said majority of oral Hpv have no symptoms, but considering I have GW am I more likely to get symptomatic oral Hpv?
No, Visible genital warts are largely a function of the HPV type which is present.
4) This could have come from oral sex with sex workers, or auto-innoculation?
You are getting ahead of yourself. You do not know you have oral HPV. If you did, it would have most likely occurred as a result of oral sex. Auto-inoculation is not a problem.
5) How contagious would I be to wife and child with normal (non-French) kissing or any other day to day activities?
Not infectious at all
6) should I go to a doctor when I already know I have Hpv on another part of my body? Meaning minus a wart, how would they know?
That's a personal decision. There are no recommended screening tests for oral HPV. My sense is that you are getting ahead of yourself but you are also obviously anxious. If you want to pursue the possibility of oral HPV, which I do not recommend, I would see and ENT specialist
7) even if I have oral Hpv, how likely are warts to appear?
Very, very unlikely.
My sense is that your recent diagnosis, combined with concerns about having your dalliances found out has sent you down a "rabbit hole" of worry. If you've been on the internet for general search on the topic, this will likely only increase your worry without justification.
I hope that this information and assessment is helpful. EWH
19 months ago
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Just wanted to say thank you to you and Dr. HHH as well for providing information that can reduce stress, as opposed to a Google search, which only exacerbates it. So to follow up: 1) you feel the hoarseness is due to either stress or a separate viral infection? 2) in your reply to #2 below, you said Hpv 16 is typically flat warts. My wart was indeed flat, although it was fairly easy to see at times because it would get a white “shedding skin” look at the top. Could you clarify this a bit more? Would Hpv types 6 and 11 also present as flat warts commonly? Or I could have either 6, 11 or 16? And did you mean type 16 is much harder to detect as in it can go completely unnoticed? I am hoping my GW was not type 16 obviously. The two on the shaft of my penis were flat with an easy to see white “skin” on top. One small on my scrotum looked like a tiny pimple.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
19 months ago
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Thanks for your thanks. Straight to your follow-ups:
1) you feel the hoarseness is due to either stress or a separate viral infection?
Correct
2) in your reply to #2 below, you said Hpv 16 is typically flat warts. My wart was indeed flat, although it was fairly easy to see at times because it would get a white “shedding skin” look at the top. Could you clarify this a bit more? Would Hpv types 6 and 11 also present as flat warts commonly?
I'm afraid the term I used was confusing. the term "flat" warts refers to HPV infections that do not cause visible lesions such as the ones you describe. Most HPV 16 infections are not visible to the naked eye. It is statistically unlikely that your visible warts are due to HPV 16
Hope this helps. EWH
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