The question of whether HPV always persists is partly a semantic argument. Viral DNA persists in many of most infected persons, but most of the time living virus probably is absent -- either eradicated entirely or at least suppressed by the immune system. What is clear is that "reactivation" -- new detection of HPV DNA after previous negative tests -- sometimes occurs, as you have experienced. This is equally common with both high-, low-, and mid-risk types. In most such cases, the problem goes away -- i.e. eventually HPV DNA can no longer be detected. But whether the virus nonetheless persists cannot be known for any one patient. 

The frequency of HPV is unrelated to the number of sex partners. HPV is so common that people with only a small number of partners are equally at risk as those with many partners. At least 90% of all people acquire genital HPV at least once, and at any point in time 30-50% of people have detectable HPV. Next time you're among family, coworkers, or friends, just glance around the room and contemplate that almost all havfe been infected and up to half of them currently have detectable genital HPV. Getting and having genital HPV should be viewed as a normal, expected, unavoidable consequence of being sexually active. The important strategies to avoid being in the small minority with a bad outcome are 1) vaccination to prevent infection with the 9 types that cause ~90% of cancers and genital warts; and 2) following pap smear guieelines and, in event of abnormality, following the doc's advice about follow-up. 

There's no way to know which of your partners might have infected you. And no need to worry about future partners. That your current HPV infection has been diagnosed doesn't make you any more risky for them than any other partner they might have, most of whom will have been infected, whether or not diagnosed. 

So the main thing is to follow your doctor's advice, which will be partly dependent on the biopsy result. (You can expect no big deal. LSIL -- low-grade squamous intra-epithelial leion -- rarely progresses and clears up without treatment.) Also, consider vaccination, which will protect you from future infection with most HPV types of concern. (Vaccination also might reduce the chance of future reactivation or other pap smear abnormalities, although this is less certain.)

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

As you say yourself, whether your doctor is right or wrong about "always use protection" (condoms) depends on his and your perspective. Of course it is standard advice that all persons in new or non-monogamous relationships ideally should use condoms for vaginal or anal sex (oral sex not so much) -- as general STD protection. However, condoms do not reliably protect against HPV transmission:  there's too much skin contact above the range covered by condoms. For any single exposure, HPV transmission risk is reduced by somewhere around 70% -- but as you can imagine, with a 30% non-protection rate, after several sexual exposures the cumulative effect is no meaningful protection. Looked at another way, regular condom users have equally high risk and frequency of catching HPV as non-users.

Beyond that, disclosure of HPV is a difficult issue and there are wide ranges of opinion. We know that most people with newly diagnosed HR HPV test negative after a year or two. Although later reactivation can happen, transmission to partners probably doesn't occur -- and in my view there is no need to mention anything to partners after that time. You can consider confirming that your HPV test has become negative by getting retested in the future -- and if negative, you're home free. And even before that, disclosure isn't necessarily required, at least not from the standpoint of preventing transmission, (There are relationship issues that may make disclosure wise, but that's a different issue. More about this aspect below.) HPV, including HR types, is so common that any particular partner is at no higher risk of HPV from sex with you than from any other partner(s) he might have. That you happened to be diagnosed doesn't change the fact that half of all women he has sex with probably have detectable HPV (i.e. would test positive) -- most just don't know it. And assuming a new partner has been in the dating scene, i.e. has had at least a handful of other female partners over time, there's a good chance he's already had the same HPV type you do -- in which case he is immune to a new infection with that type. All things considered, disclosure of HPV -- especially of past infections now gone -- has little if any health benefit for partners, and the main effects may be 1) to cause unnecessary alarm and 2) to inhibit the prospects for developing long-term romantic relationships. (It's a true fact that these days more than ever, sex usually precedes intimacy and commitment, and roadblocks to sex do not only make a particular date unpleasant or stressful:  they also can impede moving toward commitment.

As noted above, however, as couples move toward commitment and, they often discuss their past sexual lifestyles, which may include past experience with HPV or other STDs. Such discussions can be important in establishing relationships and fostering commitment. In that spirit, you might well want to discuss your current HPV experience with a future partner. But in the spirit of relationship building, not to lower risk or prevent infection.

And if I were you, I would not inform most past partners, although there may be exceptions. For example, if you have reason to believe a past partner would be freaked out -- maybe a nervous or anxious sort who would be upset if he later finds you were infected and didn't inform him -- it might be reasonable. On the other hand, because of the frequency of HPV and the certainty your partners will have had other exposures, you will not be harming their health, or that of their future partners, if you do not disclose.

Sorry for such a long reply, but I hope you find it helpful. Once again, let me know if anything isn't clear.