I have been in a monogamous sexual relationship with my current partner for the last year. When we first got together he disclosed that he had an active case of genital warts (the particular type of HPV was not identified, but he was tested and diagnosed as low-risk HPV). He had three warts removed the first month he discovered them, and had begun taking AHCC based on initial promising results of clinical trials in women. Six months later he had another GW show up and had it removed. It's been almost six months to the day the last one was removed and another just showed up. We're both pretty disappointed as we were hoping he'd be in the percentage of people whose bodies get rid of the virus within 12 months.

During the first six months of the relationship we used condoms when practicing oral and vaginal intercourse (I understand I was still at risk even w/ condoms from potential virus load in surrounding tissues not covered by the condom or GW too small to see) and abstained from sex when there was an overt wart until it was removed and the skin healed. About three months ago (so 3 months before last one and 3 months before new GW), we decided to start having unprotected oral and vaginal intercourse. My question is, once he has the new GW removed, how long should we wait before having unprotected sex? I assume there is a good chance I've already been exposed, I was willing to take the risk three months after the last time and I'm comfortable with even a smaller window this time, but I also don't want to get warts on my mouth (or genitals). Is it common for GW to appear like this - one every six months? The timing seems oddly regular.

Welcome to our Forum.  Your thoughtful questions are good ones and, unfortunately questions that there are not great answers for.  I'll share some thoughts which I hope will be helpful.  I think my responses might be a little different if I knew your age, had a rough idea of how many sex partners you have had in the past, and whether or not you have received the HPV vaccine.---

Sorry! Should have included that information. My partner is 37, I'm 41, so never received the HPV vaccine (although I've read that the vaccine is only for a limited number of HPV types, so I'm surprised to hear you say I wouldn't be susceptible if ages were completely different and I had been vaccinated prior to becoming sexually active?). I've had around 15 different sexual partners in my lifetime (including oral and/or vaginal intercourse), all male. If infected with the same type that's causing the appearance of genital warts in my partner, do you know what the percentage of likelihood is that I will have overt genital or oral warts as well (vs. having the virus, but being asymptomatic)?

Thanks for this helpful information.  The reason I made that statement about vaccine related protection is that two types of HPV, types 6 and 11, cause nearly all visible genital warts and the vaccine contains these two types and offers nearly complete protection from infection by these HPV types.---