[Question #12230] When HPV is dormant in female can a male partner become infected with it
 |
9 months ago
|
At age 65 tests revealed I had HPV 16 and 18. Monogamous marriage 47 years (now 50+ yrs). My question is this: when HPV is dormant (not activated) for five decades, can/could a partner get it during dormancy decades or only when activated? My shocking diagnosis came during several years of unrelenting, extreme stress caretaking a failing elder, and I did not have sex during this time.
 |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
9 months ago
|
Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for your questions. Let me 1rst be sure that I'm following your situation-
1. You have been diagnosed with HPV 16 and 18. A bit of a timeline will be helpful. It sounds like you were diagnosed at age 65 and, based on your post, it is now 3 years later. Is that correct? I presume that while the virus was present, there was no indication of precancerous cellular changes, correct? Also, can you tell me when your prior HPV tests were performed before the one that was positive for HPV 16 and 18?
Context- HPV without worrisome cellular changes may reflect reactivation of infection acquired in the past and likely requires little other than periodic follow-up if that's the case.
In answer to your questions about dormancy/activation- most HPV is transmitted when active.
Can you tell me more about your concerns?
EWH
--- |
9 months ago
|
yes, 3 yrs later: Pap every year for decades except for 2013 when general recommendations for women over 60 were every other year, but that is when HPV tests were introduced (I might be a couple years off, but the following Pap that revealed HPV 16 & 18). After 2 or 3 yrs, I changed healthcare providers, & my new provider performed the colposcopy, then a LEEP; after that my Pap was clear. Then after a 2nd new healthcare provider (original business closed) annual Pap revealed HPV 16 & 18 again, another colposcopy performed. Result was NO 16 or 18, but undefined HPV detected. You are correct that no cellular changes were detected. I have *never* had an abnormal Pap result in my life (now 70+ years). As far as when prior HPV tests were performed, my experience, in my current state, is that HPV was not tested before 2014, at least that's when I was first tested for it. Before that date, I never had an abnormal result or even HEARD of testing for HPV - I wasn't even sure what it was because, in a long-married multi-decade monogamous relationship, I thought I didn't need to pay any attention to STDs. I now have read various medical and government reports and documents about HPV, but none satisfy my original question - if HPV is dormant, is it contagious in dormancy, and would my spouse become infected during dormancy, or is it only when the virus is activated? That is my concern. We did not have sexual relations due to menopausal complications and oppressive stress from elder caregiving. Now that I am wanting to revive sexual relations with my husband, I am now facing up to the diagnosis of HPV, colposcopy and "unspecified HPV" results from Pap. I am abstaining from any sexual activity for me, but I am wondering about my husband's exposure during the dormancy period before I was originally diagnosed. Thank you.
|
Edward W. Hook M.D.
9 months ago
|
Thanks for the additional information. You've received good care.
---
Regarding transmission during dormancy, as I said above, "... most HPV is transmitted when active." It is important to appreciate that most HPV infections are acquired when people are young- there is no way to know when you were initially infected. Likely that over your years of marriage your infection is likely to have gone through periods of latency (the majority of the time) as well as periodically briefly reactivating. During those periods of occasional re-activation, your spouse may have been exposed. It is less likely that he was exposed when you were in a latent stage. That said, what's done is done. HPV infections are typically of little or no consequence for men. My advice is to move forward, to not hesitate to resume sexual activity with your spouse and to not worry about disclosure or discussion of this complicated matter.
This is one person's perspective. I hope that the information I have provided helps to demonstrate the basis for my perspective.
Please follow-up if this information is unclear. EWH
|
9 months ago
|
Thank you so very much for your reassuring response. I do have a follow-up question to this: is it okay/not okay for me to resume giving oral sex to my husband (not him to me)? I just feel contaminated... I've asked him to wear gloves if we ever resume activities, but so far he doesn't want to touch me beyond a kiss:-( I'm thinking I should find a sex therapist/counselor to help me grasp how I should think of myself, sexually, instead of feeling contaminated from a teenage encounter 50+ years ago. Thank you for your responses. This is all so confusing.
|
Edward W. Hook M.D.
9 months ago
|
I'm glad you found my comments helpful. I hope that these final responses will help a bit more.
You should not feel "contaminated"- HPV is an everyday fact fore nearly all sexually active persons (FYI, over 60% of monogamous partners will acquire HPV). I hope that your husband's thinking will evolve. I see NO reason to ask him to wear gloves or take other unnecessary precautions. What has happened happened. Time for both of you to move forward without concern. You really don't know where your infection came from or who gave what to whom- he could have been the source.
Perhaps seeing a counselor will help you to feel better about yourself. It sounds as though he might benefit from talking to someone as well
As you know, we provide up to 3 responses to each client's questions. Thus this response completes this thread. I wish you the best. EWH
---