My girlfriend has HPV (human popiloma virus) type 16. Should I be afraid of contracting the virus?

Question

She has had abnormal Peps in the past but on her last pep, everything looked normal. I have not yet had sex with her and wonder if I should be concerned with this type of HPV.

Thanks

Answer 1

HPV type 16 is linked to cervical cancer. You can get this type from her, but obviously, it will not cause cervical cancer for you since you are a male.

Is this the only strain she has though? Usually people with HPV have a few strains of the virus, since there are over 100 different kinds. About a dozen of them can cause cancer, including cervical, penile, anal, and head and neck cancer. Cervical cancer is the biggest concern with HPV because it kills 300,000 women a year. Penile, anal, head and neck cancers are pretty rare and usually occur at a much older age. You can also get warts from HPV. So, if she has one of those strains, and you get it, you can develop genital, hand and/or feet warts (all caused by HPV).

HPV is a virus, so there is no cure. It will stay with her, and you (if you contract it from her) the rest of your life.

Check out this site for some more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hpv#HPV-induced_diseases

Answer 2

Thanks Heinz! Way to perpetuate the cycle of horribly wrong information being spread around here! Yay for you! Once again HPV is NOT the same thing as HSV(Herpes Simplex Virus). HPV IS incurable though. Also, I believe, but don't quote me on this that type 16 is linked to cervical cancer, so it is very important that your GF continues to get her paps. As for you? Well chances are since 70% of the population has the virus that you are already infected with at least one strain. Us guys often don't know that we have it. If you don't, then yes there is a chance that you will get it from your GF as condoms do not provide 100% protection (they still help, and do protect against HIV, pregnancy etc,etc so still use them.). I suggest that you talk to a Doctor about the risks associated with HPV. People on here don't know Jack Sh!t. Talk to your Doctor, or hers...they will be better equipped to help you make an informed decision. Take Care and Stay Safe!

Answer 3

DO NOT--I REPEAT--DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH HER AND HERE'S WHY: ( I am STD/HIV researcher) :

The HPV Virus is a virus that is contacted from "skin-to-skin" contact, and it a VIRUS-- which means that you will have it for the Rest Of Your Life... Condoms DO NOT protect you from HPV. Many people contacted HPV while using condoms. If you have sex with her, you run a Very great risk of contacting HPV.
It is the same virus that causes genital warts--some people who HPV also get warts, and some do not. But if you have HPV and Do Not have warts--you can still infect someone with warts--because it is virus.....Listen, I'm talking to you as if you were my own son--you need to be kind to her, but you need to break off with this girl. Unless you plan on marrying her, you dont need to run the risk of being infected with something for the rest of your life. If you get warts or HPV, you WILL infect the woman that you marry--and HPV causes Uterine Cancer in women----which is a top leading cause of death for women in America. Would you want the mother of your children to die young, just because of a "girlfriend" that you had at one time??? Its a blessing that she was honest with you, but the cold hard truth is that when we make the choice to have sex, we must also live with the consequences of our actions. Your girlfriend made the conscious decision to have sex, so therefore she must face the consequences of boyfriends dumping her for her HPV. Life isnt fair, but so isnt HPV. DONT LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU DIFFERENT.

Answer 4

my boyfriend didn't dump me. that's bad advice from someone who's in the field of STD research. i didn't have warts, but i had pre-cancerous cervical cells. my healthcare professional considered the treatment/surgery a full cure. still test clean to this day, thank you! if you read that article, it says they're not totally sure it will stop the spread altogether, but using condoms DOES decrease the risk of contracting HPV, as well as being tested, as any young or sexually active person should do regardless. don't be insensitive and dump her for it. that's just plain rude. do know also, that it can go away on its own sometime after treatment.

Answer 5

Herpes is incurable and is transmittable even when the infected person does not have an outbreak.
Many people have oral herpes from the time they are children (the sores in the mouth and on the lips that people get every so often).
Now, if you already have that, it may be a possible protection against being infected. How good an immune system you have, also plays into this.
Just consider though, if she does infect you, then the majority of women (who I would hope you would tell about your condition before having s*x with them!) will probably pass you by. You'll be reducing the number of potential partners considerably.
Your call.

Answer 6

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