[Question #9012] HPV and Genital Warts

37 months ago

Hello! I am hoping you can answer an HPV risk question for me in the long term.

I recently started seeing a new partner. As things got heated we were going to mess around and I noticed a bump on his penis. So we immediately stopped and I told him he needed to go to the doctor. Fast forward and he went to the doctor and they told him it was HPV and prescribed Wartec and vaccinated him for HPV. They did an acid test and also found a few small ones. What’s the likelihood I will contract this in the long term?

I was fully vaccinated for HPV last year with Guardasil 9. I only ask because I do really like this person and could see him as my long term partner. I don’t want to dismiss the relationship if this really isn’t a big deal but I also don’t want to get warts.

I already have GHSV1 so don’t want to have to navigate the potential of two things if it can be avoided. He asked them to do a biopsy on it to make sure it was one of the strands covered by the vaccine but they refused and said they only treat it.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

37 months ago

Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your question. I’ll be glad to provide some information.

Congratulations as well on being vaccinated for HPV. The Guardasil vaccine prevents well over 95% of infections due to HPV 6 and HPV 11 which cause the vast majority of visible genital warts. Statistically it is Unlikely that any solitary contact with your partner’s genital warts would lead to infection. Further, following successful treatment for warts, The majority of warts are cured although up to 25% may recur in the same location as the original infection within 3 to 6 months of treatment. Should that occur retreatment is warranted.

In considering moving forward with your relationship, I would urge you not to let his genital warts have a negative impact on the evolution of your relationship. You have been effectively vaccinated and he has been treated. Should you acquire HPV from him, HPV infections are typically innocuous, self-resolving problems. I would encourage you to look at other threads on our site discussing our views about HPV infection, they are transmissibility, and their impact on relationships.

EWH

---

37 months ago

Dr. Hook,

Thank you for the information as it definitely helps. I understand that if he has type 6 or 11 there’s still a 5% I could get the virus. Is this number significantly lower when warts aren’t present?

If he has a type that causes warts outside of the vaccine how likely am I to contract it without warts present? Do all HPV strands that cause warts cause them 100% of the time? From my understanding and previous research is that warts only appear on some people as the body’s natural response fights the virus before warts can appear. Is this correct?

Do you have any recommendations on how to proceed without the presence of warts in the next 3-6 months besides use protection and don’t have sex if warts are present?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

37 months ago

You are correct that the protection offered by the vaccine is not 100%, however even when infections due to HPV type 6 or 11 occur in vaccinated persons, they typically resolve with time because the vaccine has strengthened the immune response.

As I mentioned above, if his words were due to a type other than typed six or 11, the contact you described would most likely not lead to infection.

Going forward, certainly the most effective way to reduce the risk of infection would be to consistently use condoms. While condoms are not 100% protective for acquisition of HPV they do substantially reduce the risk of infection and between the additive effect of your vaccination, his vaccination, and consistent condom use your chances of infection will be minimized. Finally as I said above, HPV infections, particularly in persons who been vaccinated, are almost always innocuous problems. I urge you not to let your concerns about HPV negatively impact the evolution of your relationship. EWH

---

37 months ago

Thank you for the reply. Does someone who acquires HPV 6 or 11 always present with warts? Or like other viruses it can lay dormant and not actually present symptoms?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

37 months ago

Not all HPV 6 or 11 infections cause visible warts. They may cause infections without visible change.

As you know, we provide up to the 3 three responses to each client's questions. With this 3rd response, this thread is complete. I hope the information I have provided has been helpful. In closing, once again let me urge you to not let your concerns trouble you going forward EWH

---