hpv duration - Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Message Board

mpr11 · 01-09-2009, 10:22 PM

for twenty five years i have only had sex with my husband test 3/20/2008. that was negative .i took another test 12/20/2008.it was positive for types (16/18/31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59/68/)without differentiation how can that happen

Thisby · 01-09-2009, 11:36 PM

Are you saying you have only ever had sex with your husband, or that it's been 25 years since you've had another partner?

Not that it really matters. Since supposedly the virus stays with you for life, even though it typically goes dormant within a year or two of exposure. This means that whatever strains you and your husband brought into your relationship, whenever that was, this is the total. That could mean anything from either one of you having gotten around in the past, to one of you having had the misfortune of sleeping with one person who has all those strains.

Anyway, that's quite a collection. I recognize some of those numbers as being high-risk. Do you have any idea what some of the others are? (I've often wondered if the strain I had as a kid - wart on my leg - would show up in a test.)

Anyway, I hope none of them are causing you any problems.

Pickle Eyes · 01-10-2009, 10:09 AM

Hi MPR, My husband and I have been together for 16 years and we have both been faithful to each other. I was first diagnosed with high risk HPV last December. I never learned what strains of high risk HPV I have. Do you know what test your doctor ran to give that information?

How is it possible that the results were so different only 9 months apart? There are a few solutions (which do not bring fidelity into question). It is possible that the first test was done on the sample taken during a pap and the second test had a sample take specifically taken for the HPV test. I don't know the reliability of the testing done from the sample taken at the pap, nor its reliability vs the separate test. But that is what I am thinking. It is also possible that the viruses have become active in the last 9 months due to stress (physical, emotional, etc).

I just wanted to add that I know how stressful an HPV diagnosis can be. (((hugs)))

zoe96 · 01-19-2009, 05:48 AM

You might want to take a closer look at the report that says you have the various strains of HPV; I know on mine, it says I tested positive for ONE or more of the following, and gave that whole list. I think the test I had was not specific enough to pinpoint which exact strain I had, but that it was one in that family of strains. From what I understand -- and I'm certainly no expert and can be wrong -- the report lists the various ones that MAY be present, but it does not mean that you have ALL of those strains.

Drafly · 01-19-2009, 04:10 PM

The test to determine the type of HPV is called "in situ hybridization" and it is performed on the DNA of the HPV found in tissue taken from a biopsy, if it's present that is. The "probes" as they are called are run in clusters with certain strains together such as 16/18, or 31/33/35 etc. As was previously mentioned, you may not have all of those strains but my have one positive in each of the probes performed. You can determine this by carefully reviewing the results also as previously mentioned. It will usually say something like, "In situ hybridization analysis was done on this (place of biopsy) biopsy using a probe of HPVs 6/11, 16/18, 31/33/35. HPV DNA was detected with the 16/18 and 31/33/35 probes. Sine the signal intensity was greatest with the 16/18 probe, the most likely type is hPV 16". That's usually what it will say so you may want to double check your results. It used to take about 4 weeks for the results but that time may have been reduced.