Exposure History:

 * Date: 70 days ago (Protected vaginal intercourse).

 * Context: Partner was a former sex worker; unknown STI status. (Netherlands)

 * Precautions: Condom used for the duration. No unprotected oral sex (given or received). No deep kissing. Had oral contact with breasts only.

 * Recent Activity: Around day 45 and 50, I’m concerned about potential autoinoculation (manual contact with penis followed by brief contact with mouth, touched on lips and tongue, got saliva.). This happened 3-4 times.

Testing History:

 * HIV: Negative (Day 21 RNA; Day 42, 47, 60 4th-Gen Ag/Ab). Just for context.

 * Vaccination: I have not previously received the HPV vaccine.

Current Symptoms:

 * No visible lesions, warts, or bumps on genitals (this makes it even more scarier, cause I read that the dangerous kinds are not showing up)

 * Persistent morning sore throat and occasional one-sided throat pain during the day.

I'm 23M, obese (will start a diet soon), I have high stress, I don't smoke, I don't get sick easily and I recover quickly in general. In the mornings I always feel like sick but I recover during the days. I believe this is because of heavy sneezing. My CRP (in regular blood tests) is generally 7-8 points above avarage. I wonder if this points to an infection or low immune.

Questions:

 * Is the risk of autoinoculation (genital to oral) significant in this context?

* Is there a way to get tested for HPV?

* Will I likely get cancer? If I do, when to look for symptoms?

* Is that cancer curable?

Thank you.

First and perhaps most important in reassuring you -- it's too soon for any symptoms due to newly acquired HPV. Genital warts and Pap smear abnormalities typically do not appear sooner than a few months after exposure, and up to a couple of years. While I cannot say that 70 days definitely is too soon, for sure it is rare. Second, there is nothing at all in your symptoms that fits with how HPV infections behave. They never cause any sort of pain or discomfort, other than warts, which once established weeks or months later can get irritated, itchy, etc (although even this is uncommon).

And certainly you describe no aspect of your exposure likely to have resulted in HPV infection. And since you could not have been infected genitally, you could not have auto-inoculated your throat. Finally there is no possibility of HPV causing the symptoms you describe and it cannot elevate the CRP test. You caught a cold.

1. There is no risk of HPV infection or autoinoculation.

2.There is no need or reason for HPV testing.

3. You will not get cancer from this.

4. Yes, most HPV cancers are easily and effectively treated.

HHH, MD

Thank you doctor.

But you didn't get the virus in your genital area. Even when present, genital to mouth autoinoculation is believed to be rare. And as discussed above, all this is going on much too soon since the exposure for there to be any risk.

The particular factors that raise the risk of cancer from HPV are not understood. The vast majority of HPV infections of all body sites, including throat, never cause cancer.