[Question #3211] hpv/std transmission
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39 months ago
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Drs
Ques. About hpv & stds. I have highrisk hpv & worry about giving it to
my kids if forget to wash hands/unable to after going bathroom (or after
sex/touching privates) esp with vaginal fluids on hand & then have to change
diapers/give baths/feed them etc. or if they touch dirty laundry shower puffs
etc. very worried about it being on my skin to point won't use a shower puff
for fear of getting it on other parts of my body & worry a lot after
touching privates in the shower. Had to take my baby's temp rectally &
worry thermometer touched dirty bath towel before I took the temp. Baby had rash
to point was bleeding & this worried me esp if body fluid on hand or my own
hand bleeding. Or if I have sex with husband & kids are on sheets after or
if I don't have time to wash up after sex & have to go care for them or breastfeed my daughter if there is body
fluid on my nipples Worry about person we live w/ possibly having an std &
me touching something of hers & getting std if I immediately go to bathroom
or whatever after or if I am someplace & accidentally touch/step on a dirty/used
condom & get persons body fluids(semen vaginal fluid period blood or
blood etc) on me. As u can tell I have
OCD. I've read a lot on ur sites and think? My fears r unfounded but would feel
better about it hearing from u( u helped a great deal when I was worried about
blood diseases) Also Ive read that having 3 kids puts increase risk for
cervical cancer. Is this true? My dr said never heard of this
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
39 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum. I'll be glad to comment and hope that my comments will help to eliminate your concerns. HPV infections are spread by DIRECT sexual contact. As I trust you know, over 80% of unvaccinated sexually North American adults have HPV. Genital HPV infections are quite rare prior to the onset of sexual activity but the rates of infection go up rapidly following the onset of sexual activity (even in persons with a single sex partner) and this is the reason that HPV vaccination is recommended beginning at age 9. Despite the mis-information found on the internet, there is no credible evidence of meaningful transmission of infection through non-sexual contact or from contact with inanimate objects (towels, toilet seats, etc.) which have previously been in contact with an infected site on a person with HPV infection. I would not worry at all that casual contact with your children would transmit HPV to them and urge you not to deprive them of your touch and affection. This is true for other STIs as well- they are not transmitted in ways other than DIRECT sexual contact.
You are correct that there are a number of studies which show that with increasing numbers of childbirths the risk for developing cervical cancer goes up a tiny amount. The reasons for this are not well understood. Having said that, the increase in tiny and with recommended gynecological preventative examinations, your increase in risk for cervical cancer because of multiple childbirths is tiny.
I hope these comments are helpful. Keep seeing your gynecologist so that she/he can follow your HPV infection and please don't worry. EWH
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39 months ago
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I currently have two kids & eventually want to try for a third. If you were my dr would you have any issue with me trying for one with my history of high risk hpv and past cin2?
Also for some reason I always think of direct contact being contact with the virus even if it's on the hand to a private part or mouth or kissing or sharing food (esp with cold sores) or from an inanimate object but your saying that's it's only genital to genital mouth to genital anus to genital etc. ?
Do stds die once exposed to the air and that is why you cant get them any other way than having sex?
Can I give myself hpv anally or orally from My hands if I were to touch my genitals then the other areas of my body? Do you recommend testing those areas for the virus?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
39 months ago
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I see nothing in the history you have provided to suggest that it is unwise or unsafe for you to try to have children. Similarly as I've mentioned above there is no risk for transmission through casual contact. As I said earlier based on years and years of observation and many studies there is NO documentation that hand to general contact or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces is a mechanism for transmission of HPV. Finally HPV is not typically spread to other parts of the body by transfer on a person's hands the clothes to the mouth or other sites.
STI & AIDS do become nontransmissible on contact with the air or with drying. Much of this is because of the environmental effects of drying and low temperatures but there may be other factors active as well which are less well understood.
My sense is that you are worrying about this more than you should. If this represents guilt over past activities, you need to address the guilt issues and not to assume that past behaviors will lead to STD transmission from yourself to others. EWH
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