kehorner

HPV is not just one specific viruses. There are actually many related viruses that are all refered to as HPV, because they are in the same family but are subtypes. This is like saying that you have the flu; you can get the flu many times because it is caused by several related viruses. Only some of the HPV strains are those that increase risk for cervical cancer. Other strains are those that cause genital warts. (I don't know enough about this to say that the strain that you have NEVER causes genital warts, so until you ask your doctor don't assume that you can't give warts to others just because you don't have them yourself.) But no, since you don't have any warts, you don't have genital warts. You just have one (or more) of the strains of HPV that increases your risk for cervical cancer. This doesn't mean that you will get cervical cancer, especially if you get regular PAP smears. Cervical cancer develops from abnormal cells on your cervix. The PAP smear finds those abnormal cells before they turn into cancer (generally), so they can be addressed before you have any problems. The virus makes it more likely that you will develop abnormal cells, and then cancer, but that doesn't mean that you WILL get cancer. As long as you keep getting those PAP smears to monitor your health, and changes can be taken care of before they become cancerous. All viruses invade human cells and cause problems that way. A cold virus invades the cells in the lining of your nose, etc. HPV can invade the cells of the genitals (causing warts) or the cells of the cervix (causing abnormal cell growth). Different viruses prefer different types of cells, so that is why some strains of HPV cause warts and some increase your risk of cervical cancer. I hope that helps clear up some of your confusion until you can talk with your doctor.