[Question #12406] HPV/Herpes/other from hospital transponder?

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8 months ago

Hi there. I’m weary of hospitals. I had vascular ultrasound of my leg. Tech used transponder w/gel along my groin area, where it meets my thigh, on both sides. I was in too much pain to insist she clean device in front of me. No plastic cover was used. I had her change the bedding. My concern is HPV/warts, Herpes, HIV. In hospital setting, on delicate skin where there could’ve been nick in the skin, I ask: What is incubation period for HPV in terms of testing or seeing sign of warts if something was passed? How would you test if you wanted to know (blood, other specimen)? What about Herpes or HIV transmission like this? Thank you.

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8 months ago
Upon reflection, irrespective of the ultrasound, I'd be grateful for you to educate me about this:
-What are all of the strains of HPV that cause genital warts? 6, 11, others?
-How do you test for these strains of HPV empirically? Is there a blood test or skin biopsy? Some other way?
-What is the incubation period from exposure from skin to skin contact for HPV to show up as positive in various testing methods listed above? Thank you for what you do.

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
8 months ago
Welcome to the Forum.  I'll be glad to comment.  As a practical matter, persons DO NOT acquire HPV, herpes or other cutaneous infections through transmission on ultrasound transponders.  They are cleaned as a matter of routine and there are NO data to suggest that this ever occurs.  I would not worry'

Typically it takes at least 2-3 months for HPV infections to become clinically apparent as warts following acquistion.

HPN 6 and 11 cause about 95% of visible genital warts.  The remainder are caused by a variety of the more than 100 different HPV strains.  Typing of less common HPV types is not routinely done.

HPV is tested for by obtaining cells (in a scraping, on a swab, perhaps in a biopsy) for careful DNA testing.  Testing for other than the most common strains is a research tool and is not routinely carried out as the type of virus present really does not change management.  EWH
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8 months ago

 Dr. Hook, thank you. To clarify a few points, if I may:

-What is the outer limit/end of the incubation period for when HPV would show up as positive post-exposure? (Not necessarily when warts would appear but when a test post-exposure would show up as positive if it were positive. I understand earliest per below is 2 months and have seen outer limit as 8 months or 20 months)

-How do you test for HPV - if no warts present? Does pap smear, skin scraping/swab/biopsy, or blood apply here? What is the best in class test for HPV akin to the UW Western Blot for herpes?

 -What is the most reliable way to test for immunity per Gardasil vaccine (given 3 doses, 3 months apart, in 2007)? Is it blood test for HPV antibodies to HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 – is that the actual test?

Thank you! All the best.

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
8 months ago
There are no data on the "outer limit" of when HPV would show up positive post exposure- certainly by 6 months in nearly everyone.  It sounds like you are referring to internet-misinformation.

Testing for HPV is NOT recommended for men.  In research settings skin scrapings and, occasionally biopsies are used.  There are no clinically useful blood tests for HPV.

Follow-up blood tests for Gardasil are not recommended but may be available as research tests.  

It is not clear to me why you appear to be so concerned about a widespread, innocuous infection which is more than 95% protected by the vaccine you have recieved.

You have one follow-up remaining.  EWH
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7 months ago

Thank you, Dr. Hook. It’s hard to find correct data, and being informed is important. I got the 20 months from a research paper. Thank you for clarifying the 6 month post-exposure window. Last reply:

- Can one contract HPV/genital warts from skin to skin contact, without genital intercourse?

- And if so, if there was no genital intercourse, does HPV in women still show up cervically on the pap smear? Is that where it lives/is seen in the body?

- And what about oral sex – if a woman has oral sex but not genital intercourse, would HPV still show up cervically on pap smear? Or from a swab of the throat etc.?

Thank you for sharing with me, and us. All the best.

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
7 months ago
Final responses.  

HPV is transmitted through direct contact with an infected site.  As you might imagine, while there are no scientific studies of this issue, certain activities such as oral sex (cunnilingus) are far less likely to transmit HPV than direct genital contact.

HPV is a local infection.  When the throat is infected, the infection does not spread genital sites.  

You seem to be hung up about HPV infections.  If you are concerned, the single most effective thing you can do to prevent acquistion is to get the HPV vaccine.

This completes this thread which will now be closed.  Please don't worry about HPV, for almost everyone who gets it it is an innocuous, widespread infection.  EWH


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