Dear Experts team,

more than 3 years ago I had a short time relationship with a woman. We didn’t have sex but I gave her oral sex. Later her PAP test showed some anomalies. These are my questions:

1. How great is the risk that I could have been infected by her?

2. Assuming I have been infected: I live with my parents and my sister. Is there a risk to pass on dangerous HPV viruses to them through objects, towels or through washing laundry or something? Is there a need to take special precautions? 

3. After the above mentioned relationship I got together with my now girlfriend, we are together for about 3 years now. If I was infected there is the possibility that I could have infected her too, right? But her last PAP tests were good, so can I assume everything is alright?

4. I read everywhere that the virus can be passed through skin to skin contact: so basically everyone that a HPV infected person touches can also get the virus? (hugging, kissing, handshaking and other skin contacts?)

5. Is there a way for men to know for sure if they are HPV infected or not?

6. I only read about the HPV virus recently so 3 years ago I had no idea about all that. I am currently freaking out and am literally scared to infect all and everything with dangerous HPV strains, especially at home with my family and with my girlfriend. Am I worrying over nothing?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help and hope that with the information that I provide that I can relieve some of your concerns. I will answer your specific questions momentarily but first let  me provide some more general information.  HPV infections are widespread- most (over 80%) of sexually active persons acquire them at some time in their life.  Once acquired, less than 1% persist and go on to cause serious illness.  HPV infections are primarily acquired through direct sexual contact and among the different types of contact, performing oral sex on an infected woman is a biologically inefficient process which rarely leads to infection.  Most infected persons go on to clear the infection without therapy.  Thus, in general, I think you have very little to worry about.

As for your specific questions:

1.  Very low- see above.

2.  No HPV is not transmitted through casual or indirect contact.  I would not worry about transmission of infection to household contacts.

3.  It is possible but not likely for all the reasons I mentioned above.

4.  This sort of contact only very, very rarely transmits HPV.  I would not worry.

5.  There are no recommended HPV tests for men.

6.  Yes, you are worrying too much.  Please don't worry

I hope this information is helpful to you.  EWH

Just a few more doubts:

1. Assuming I got infected by my previous partner who developed cell alteration and assuming I then infected my girlfriend, would that mean that I infected her with the dangerous type of the HPV virus (type 18 or 16) which could cause cervical cancer? 

2. You replied that oral sex with an infected person rarely leads to an infection. I am just wondering why there are so many articles online that talk about the danger of oral sex in relation to HPV? 

3. So as far as my family is concerned I can behave normally without having to fear to infect them? 

4. If a womanis infected by the dangerous type 16 or type 18 is there a lesser chance that the immune system will clear the virus or does the type of HPV not matter for clearence?

5. If HPV causes cell alteration on a woman, is it always a high risk type HPV like 16 or 18? Or do low risk types also cause cell changes?

I kindly await your reply and I really appreciate all your help and information.

There is little benefit to asking "what if" questions.  You do not know that you were infected and if you were, do  not know that you were infectious.  Brief answers to your follow-up questions:

1. This is a silly question. Two what if questions.  Further IF your partner developed abnormal PAP smears that would by no means indicate that she had HPV or that she got it from you.

2.  The internet is not your friend here.  It tends to be alarmist and sensationalist and to make statements that are taken out of contect.

3.  Correct

4.  Type 16 in particular is somewhat slower to clear and more likely to persist than many other HPV types.

5.  Other types of HPV can certainly cause PAP smear changes.

I suggest you take a deep breath, try to relax and do not worry about unlikely problems that you do not are occurring.  EWH

these are my last questions:

1.  You do not know that you were infected and have to reason to think that if you were, that the infection is still present or has been passed to others.  Your fear is overstated for all of the reasons stated above.  I will not repeat them, you should re-read my earlier responses.  

2.  Many persons infected with HPV are infected with more than one type.  Your use of the term "dangerous" is overstated - the vast majority of persons infected with HPV 16 or 18, the types most strongly associated with cancer, resolve their infections without therapy and without consequence.  As an analogy, everyone who crosses the street in traffic does not get hit by a car- in fact only a tiny proportion do.  Similarly IF (you do not know and it is unlikely that you were) were infected with HPV 16 or 18, the chance that it would progress to cancer is TINY.

3.  Correct

4.  These types of virus rarely cause problems for infected persons.  Most resolve, although somewhat more slowly than infection by other types, without therapy.

This ends this thread.  As per Forum guidelines the thread will be closed shortly.  I must also warn you that repetitive, anxiety driven follow-up questions may be closed without a response and without return of your posting fee.  I hope my comments have helped.  Please do not worry. EWH