About HPV: How come doctors always say how common this disease is, but it seems that they don't have it?

Question

It seems that their medical staff don't have it. It seems that way because of how many doctors treat the patients, and ask them questions that if they did have it, they would clearly know the answer to. Questions like, if you have anal warts, they ask, "are you gay"? If they or they're staff had hpv and had that, they would clearly know the answer to that...which the answer is clearly it has nothing to do with your sexuality.

Seems the whole "oh don't worry, it's a common disease" speech is their poor way of trying to give you comfort. Do they say that about AIDS too? "Oh you have aids, but don't worry, it's common". As if that makes everything better! It almost seems like what they're really saying is, "diseases like HPV is common, but only common among foolish people, not us educated doctors".

May be I'm just irritated, I apologise for that. What do you think about this? It seems pretty unfair, and false.

heather47... - Been there, done that. I didn't ask for a lecture on what HPV is. I asked what poeple thought about doctors saying it's common, but acting like they know little about it.

Answer 1

I don't think doctors think "diseases like HPV is common, but only common among foolish people, not us educated doctors".

You would really be surprised how many health workers do have STDs, including HPV! I am one of them. I might not be a doctor but I do work in a hospital as a pharmacy technician. I have genital herpes and HPV. No one would ever know I have either one of these viruses.

Just because a doctor doesn't admit he has an STD or has had one before doesn't mean he has never had one. They don't have to and most likely will not tell a patient they have an STD. But, they are people, just like their patients. They have a life outside of the office that involves girlfriends or boyfriends, wife or husband and I guarantee you some of them have contracted an STD at some point in their life. I would NEVER admit to any of my co-workers or patients that I have an STD. That doesn't mean I don't have one though!

And, HPV is VERY common! It is one of the most common STDs. According to the CDC, approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV. At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired genital HPV infection. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#common

Answer 2

I agree with ladyfrase... I work for on ob/gyn and I can tell you that no matter what your sexuality is it isn't the reason the medical staff asks you those as you call it annoying questions, it is so we as health care provider's can see what diseases if any you may have exposed yourself to and then be able to take steps to help and treat you if need be. As for HPV it has been around for quite sometime and is common that's the truth. It is being discussed more now that the rate of cervical cancer and irregular paps is increasing . Back 5-10 years ago when you had a pap it was to detect for only cervical irregularities or cancer it didn't test you for HPV as well and alot of cases went untreated cause you could test negative for irregular pap or cancer but carry the HPV that later down the road could lead to cervical changes and possibly cancer. Be grateful that HPV is in the light and now Merck has formulated a vaccine against certain strains of this virus it could be you that it saves. I

Answer 3

I don't really understand the point you are trying to make, but I don't think the doctors are lying to you. I think a lot of people do have HPV but it clears up on its own before they know that they have it. Also, if men have the disease there is not test for it and they do not show symptoms. They only know they had it when their girlfriends have an abnormal PAP.

Also, the disease is more common among young people, so maybe the doctors are less likely to have it because they are older. Or maybe they do not feel like disclosing personal information about themselves to their patients.

Answer 4

HPV is an extremely common virus. MOST women contract it at some point in their life. The concern is that there are different strains of HPV, just as there are different strains of flu, colds, and other viruses. Only a FEW, not most, strains of HPV cause cervical cancer. But HPV is the ONLY cause of cervical cancer. And they've come out with a vaccine for it in the USA recently (not sure if it's fully approved for public use there yet...not yet in Canada). So eveyone's started to try to raise more awareness about the serious risks with some strains of HPV.

Answer 5

t is true and it is becoming more common every day same with most diseases. Doctors say that because they know the staticts across the counrty. They don't mean well it is common where you like they look at the larger picture and if 2 million people have it in the USA then it is becoming very common. Also you don't see to many medical staff with diesases they protice sterile conditions and are tested and treated alot more than the common person, they have to, what would happen if doctors started dropping off. So don't take it personaly it was not a attack on you some doctors just need to talk in english so we can understand them better.

Answer 6

HPV is Humano Papiloma Virus or something like that. It's the virus that causes cervical cancer in women. Most women have HPV. Sometimes it transforms into cervical cancer, sometimes it doesn't.

Maybe before you start talking bad about doctors, you should read up on the disease, or in this case, virus.

Answer 7

Because they know how to treat themselves, and even if they do why would they tell you?