Pickle Eyes

Hi LAJake!

I assume the HPV you are talking about is low risk HPV, since you mention having had genital warts. I don't know a lot about low risk HPV, but know a bit about high risk HPV. It is high risk HPV that can lead to cancer if it is not detected and/or treated.

High risk HPV can be transmitted via oral sex. Condoms do not give full protection against high risk HPV because the virus is transmitted by skin to skin contact.

The vaccine only gives protection against 4 strains of HPV (2 low risk and 2 high risk). There are more than 20 strains of HPV that can affect the genitals.

If anyone has had more than one sexual partner (in his/her lifetime) then it is quite likely he/she has been exposed to at least one strain of high risk HPV. There is a test to detect high risk HPV in women (but it was approved by the FDA only 4 years ago). There currently is no test for detecting high risk HPV in men.

Hope that helps.