[Question #3267] HPV Transmission
90 months ago
|
Hpv and transmission.
I have read that 90 percent of people with HPV have no symptoms! Is this correct? Does this also include gential warts hpv virus?
Reading the small amout I found on transmission rates. The studies varied. Is there new information? I read male(male having active gential warts) to female no hpv. The rate of transmission was 40 percent of the time and another I read was 20 percent. Are these the same for oral sex and viginal?
Most of these studies were over months of sexual activity with partners.
Is this because of single exposure being less likely with one person having gential warts hpv and another not?
Thanks
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
90 months ago
|
To our forum. I will try to help with your questions. You are correct HPV infections are very very common and are estimated to be present and 70 to 80% of sexually active adults. Most of these infections are asymptomatic. The most common visible manifestation of HPV infection is genital warts however most persons infected with the virus is which causes most general warts (HPV 6 and 11) do not have visible warts. Some studies suggest that about half of unvaccinated people who have HPV 6 or 11 infection will have visible general warts.
Because HPV infections are so very common it is difficult to estimate precisely how high the transmission rate is per sexual encounter. In all probability any single exposure to a sexual partner with HPV is unlikely to lead to infection. On the other hand, studies which have described newly acquired HPV infections indicate that sexually active individuals acquire infection at the rate of about 15-20% per year and that after three or more years of sexual activity over 60% of persons have HPV infections. Because the infections are so common the number of sexual partners has little effect on the likelihood of having HPV infection.
HPV infection rates are beginning to change in the United States and other developed nations as more and more people are receiving the highly effective HPV vaccine which prevents well over 98% of infections caused by the HPV types contained in the vaccine.
I hope this information is helpful. EWH
---
90 months ago
|
Would you say that oral transmission rate is same or significantly lower then viginal?
I have active GW and have exposed 2 individuals one orally and one both oral and vaginal (condom used). They are both worried about there exposure to this and likelihood they have acquired this hpv virus from me as both have significant others. This is the reason for my research and questions.
They are both going to doctor, however I was trying to understand the risk.
Have you seen many patience exposed to these type of ecounters and typical outcome.
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
90 months ago
|
Once again, this is an area where there has been limited research and quite frankly just not much is known. Having said that however most experts agree that oral sex transmitted sexually transmitted infections less efficiently than genital contact.
I should also point out that condoms are not perfect or protection against HPV either and are estimated to reduce transmission by about 60% which is certainly better than nothing but also not the sort of protection condoms provide for prevention of STI's such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
In addition, I think it is also important to point out that if your partners have performed oral sex on other persons in the past it is quite likely that the persons they performed oral sex on had HPV and that they were exposed at that time as well. Further, as at other sites of infection, wnen HPV occurs in the oropharynx in the vast majority of cases there are no consequences.
Sorry, there is just not a lot of information to answer the questions which you are asking. Research is ongoing. At the same time, in general HPV is more of a nuisance than a major health problem. The best thing that people can do to prevent HPV infections and their consequences is to get the HPV vaccine. EWH
---
90 months ago
|
Thank you for explaining this to me.
Are the lips and tongue not part of the oropharynx?
These being the case are the tongue and lips more subsetable to the onsight of GW? In your Professional opinion do you see warts in lips and tongue often? Is there any guidance around this?
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
90 months ago
|
No, the tongue and the lips are not part of the oropharynx and, to complete the thought, warts are extraordinarily rare on either the lips or the tongue. When oropharyngeal HPV occurs, it tends to occur at the back of the throat and upper airway. EWH---