HPV - wait 2 months for test? - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

sognoazzuro · 07-09-2007, 05:35 PM

i thought there wasnt a test for it? i'm due for an annual but my health insurance doesnt kick in for another 2 months. over a year ago i contracted chlamydia from a guy and i underwent all STD testing, including HIV and the only thing that came back positive was the chlamydia. i was not with anyone since 2006 until just over a month ago. the guy i was with was clean, im not sure if he had had an STD before, but he was with 8 women before me. i moved away to another state and 3 weeks after i had contact/sex with him, he told me he noticed warts on his penis, and today he told me he was going to get them removed. how do i know if these were my fault? he has a cat that has herpes, is it possible he contracted it from the cat?? is hpv and genital herpes the same thing? if i dont see any signs of a problem, is it ok to wait 2 months until my insurance will pay for an exam?

LAgirl81 · 07-09-2007, 11:45 PM

Cat with herpes??? I really don't think that it's possible got herpes from his cat.

And didn't you say he had warts? Warts are caused by HPV, not herpes.

Herpes and HPV are two very different STDs. You should do some basic reading up online of the difference between the two. If you get Herpes, you will more than likely know you have it from a painful outbreak of lesions and sores on your genital area.

HPV is much more common than herpes and you don't always know you have it-- it's typically asymptomatic. Most people who have sex get HPV. There are hundreds of strains. Some can cause genital warts and are called low-risk strains. Others can lead to cervical cancer and these are called high-risk strains. Most types of HPV do not cause any physical symtoms and usually most people who have HPV never know they have it for this very reason.

You can get an HPV test but doctors will usually only do this if you have abnormal pap smears. There is no test for men. There is also no way of knowing exactly who had HPV first unless one of you was a virgin -- this is because HPV can lay dormant in the body for years until you see any signs of warts or abnormal pap smears.

I say in your case, there is no need to get an HPV test. Just make sure you get your annual pap smears as this is the best way to screen for cervical changes (that can lead to cervical cancer) caused by HPV. If your boyfriend has warts, just keep an eye out for any changes on yourself.

Hope this helps! Chances are you have HPV now (or even had it before, who knows?) but like I said, most sexually active people have HPV. But don't worry-- you should be okay as long as you get regular pap smears!

FromSqueaky · 07-10-2007, 06:33 PM

Cats do have herpes but you can not catch herpes from cats. Herpes virus, or Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is the most prevalent viral disease of cats. I've had cats all my life. It's a mild disease like the common cold in people. 80% of cats have been exposed. Just as 90% of humans have Herpes simplex virus and 80% have HPV
There are a few things you can catch from cats but herpes is not one of them.

Thisby · 07-10-2007, 07:06 PM

If you aren't going to have sexual relations with anyone else, you could wait to get tested, although if you develop any sores you should have the sore checked, don't wait til it's gone.

And definitely, herpes and HPV are totally not the same thing.

btw, since this is the STD board, when someone says 'herpes simplex' people assume they're talking about genital herpes (herpes simplex-2) and I just have to point out that the stats on HSV-2 are nowhere near 80%. It's closer to 20%. (And I'm pretty sure the 80% number is way to high for oral herpes too.) They might be caused by a similar virus, but the effects are totally different and really shouldn't be confused.

FromSqueaky · 07-10-2007, 07:19 PM

Sorry if that confused you. I said 90% of people have HPV and 80% have the common herpes as in the ones that cause mouth sores.