[Question #8206] Living With HPV

47 months ago

I am a 31yo male.

My female ex, who I had unprotected sex with, sent me this message: “I recently had my first ever abnormal Pap Smear. The Pap came back positive for low grade intraepithelial lesion. The further testing that this result necessitates (colposcopy, cervical scraping, cervical biopsy, and HPV testing) came back positive for high risk (of causing cervical cancer) HPV.”

I was her first and only unprotected sex partner. I (unknowingly) had visible genital warts that were removed after our unprotected sex. I have since received all 3 Gardisil shots and have not had any warts present for several months. Our last sexual contact was Jan ‘21.

My understating is wart-strains don’t cause cancer, however perhaps I am infected with multiple strains, so I would like to know how to approach this subject with future sexual partners while no longer seeing warts.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

47 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your confidence in our services.

You are correct in your understanding, on two points. First, that most wart-causing types of HPV (usually HPV type 6 or 11) are "low risk" in terms of cancer, so the HPV detected in your ex-partner probably is not the same as the one causing your genital warts. Second, it is common for people to be infected with more than one HPV type. If it is true that you were your her first and only sex partner, then logically you were the source of her infection.

However, I and most experts would judge that you have no obligation to say anything about this to future sex partners. Everybody gets genital HPV (at least 90% of every sexually active persons), and the high risk types of HPV are among the most common. Therefore, your ex partner's history and your past warts do not mark you as any more risky than any other partner your future sex partners may choose. Indeed, having hbeen immunized against HPV, you are in fact a lower risk potential partner than those who have not been vaccinated. If someday you have recurrent genital warts, it would be appropriate to inform your partner(s) at that time. But for now I think you need not say anything at all.

That said, if and when you enter a committed, long term relationship, you might decide to discuss this with that partner. Many couples discuss their past partnerships, STI history, etc with each other. But for HPV this is more in the name of intimacy and honesty than prevention of infection. A related issue is that ideally all sexually active younger persons (at least those under age 30 or thereabouts) would be immunized against HPV. Since you have done that, it's not unreasonable to raise this with prospective committed partners. But not necessarily with more casual partnerships without high potential for an ongoing relationship.

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

HHH, MD

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