[Question #9589] Low-risk GW HPV

31 months ago

How common is exposure to low-risk HPV for ages 25-40? Is it very common but only 10-15% develop GWs? Is it safe to assume if someone has had more than 10 partners they have been exposed to 6/11?

My doc said it’s extremely common but I’ve never heard of any mutual friends having GWs but I’ve heard of them having HSV 1/2 before. So it seems strange that people never talk about GWs in general.

Thank you!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

31 months ago

Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions. I'll be happy to comment. Before I specifically address your questions, let me point out that the age groups you are asking about (ages 25-40) are age groups for who the HPV vaccine is recommended. This is important because the HPV vaccine is very effective in reducing HPV in general and in particular HPV 6/11 which not only cause most visible genital warts but combine represent about about half of all HPV infections in women (you are correct, not all persons with HPV 6/11 develop visible genital warts). Further, since, unfortunately, vaccination rates were somewhat lower in males than females although that seems to be changing, a woman 25-40 who has had more than 10 sexual partners is quite likely to have been exposed to HPV and, if unvaccinated, is likely to have had at least one HPV infection.

This issue of your friends has to do with the difference between persons who have had HPV (many, particularly if unvaccinated) and those who know that they were infected. This is much the same as for HSV. 80-90% of persons who have HSV 1 or -2 do not know that they have it.

I hope this addresses your questions. If not, please feel free to use your upt to two follow-ups for clarification. EWH.

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31 months ago

Thank you for the response!

Is there a PCR swab or a blood test where someone can pay out of pocket to get tested for HPV 6/11? (Thinking similar to the Western Blot for HSV 1/2).

I am 34 (F) and have been with 6 men in my life. Was unvaccinated until 1 year ago.

Confirmed high risk HPV on Pap in 2015 and negative since.

I was last sexually actively March 2022 and noticed a “bump” on clitoral hood in August 2022.

Went to 3 different gynos, and all 3 said skin tag but one said could be HPV due to the location and how common it is. That gyno removed it with TCA, it literally just fell right off when she applied the TCA. Since then, I have been looking for more and more bumps…probably due to my medical anxiety/OCD.

I also am not sure if I should be disclosing this recent scare to new partners?

Most of the men Ive talked to are over 35 and seem to not be vaccinated.

If they are over 35 and have been with over 15 people, I’m assuming their chances of being exposed to 6/11 prior to me is high?

Seems like the prevalence of HPV 6/11 and HPV 16/18 are the most common around sexually active people? (About a 50/50 chance of exposure to either strain when engaging in sex)

Thank you again for all you do.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

31 months ago

Thanks for the additional information. There is no place in addressing your concerns for a blood test since blood tests would not distinguish between infection and the results of vaccination. In addition, the testing that you had which led to a diagnosis of high risk HPV may have included testing for HPV 6/11 as well. Of course that's in the past but to be honest, I see little need for specific testing. The reasons I say this are:

1. Your response to TCA was typical for a skin tag.

2. If it was a genital wart, it's been treated.

3. As you point out, it is more likely than not that any current or future partners have been exposed in the past and/or are vaccinated

Finally, we do not feel that disclosure is necessary in situations such as yours- you have been treated and vaccinated. Thus your risk for future infection is low and your current risk for infection, having been treated and vaccinated (there is limited data that vaccination increases the normal clearance of most HPV infections). Further as you point out, it sounds as though your partners are likely to have been exposed infected in the past, whether they know it or not. FYI, this issue of disclosue has been discussed many times in other posts on the Forum. You may want to take a look for more information.

Hope this is helpful. One follow-up remaining. EWH

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31 months ago

Thank you again.

Last question,

Is it true that people with low-risk HPV and visible GWs are more likely to infect their partner and their partner show GWs?

As opposed to an asymptomatic person infecting a partner with low risk HPV?

Or is the outcome of the partner being someone who shows visible GWs, the same if they were infected by someone with visible GWs versus asymptomatic?

Thank you.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

31 months ago

And I am not aware of any data, which suggest that persons with visible genital warts are more likely to transmit infection to sexual partners, than persons who are asymptomatic and infected. Irrespective, please remember that most persons are not infected following a single encounter, and also the highly protective nature of vaccination which you have.

As you know, with this third reply, this completes this thread, which will be closed shortly. I hope the information I provided has been helpful. Please don’t worry. EWH

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