My Boyfriend has HPV - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

polkadot89 · 06-20-2008, 10:12 PM

My boyfriend just told me that he has HPV after 6 years of being close friends and dating. We have not had sex. He keeps telling me that he can not give it to me and I personally think thats a lie.

Is HPV only transmitted from female to male?

sam76 · 06-20-2008, 10:25 PM

No. And he is wrong, because it's very easy to be infected with. HPV infects soft tissues. It's not like HIV where it's only transmitted through body fluids. HPV can be transmitted by simple skin-to-skin contact with the infected area.

Women can get it from men, and vice versa. Women can get it from women. Men can get it from men. Women typically show symptoms of it more frequently than men do, though.

Thisby · 06-21-2008, 08:35 AM

First part, how does he know he has HPV? Does he have visible warts? Or is he talking about the kind that causes cervical cell changes? (which would show no symptoms in him). Do think maybe he means that after all this time, he is no longer infectious?

If he is sure he has active HPV, you can be sure you will catch it from him if you two have sex. Keep in mind, chances are you can catch it from any partner, considering the high infection rate of HPV. Only difference here is that he has warned you.

Second, the virus does not know the difference between male and female when being passed around. Women pass it to men and women, men pass it to men and women too.

jenuine86 · 06-23-2008, 09:30 AM

I would recommend getting the vaccine.. if he doesn't have warts, you wont get warts and if he has the high risk HPV (the kind that leads to cervical caner), you wont have tow worry because of the vaccine.. you should do it to protect yourself in the future anyway.

Thisby · 06-23-2008, 09:49 PM

I definitely agree with the suggestion to get the vaccine, since you haven't been intimate yet.

Although keep in mind that it only protects against 4 strains, not all of them (and there are many more), so there's still a chance - just a much lower one. You will still have to keep up with pap tests.