Let's assume you have been exposed to a strain of high risk HPV. When it comes to your fiance' I don't know what assumptions to make (nor will I try); HPV can be transmitted through various forms of foreplay, not just through sexual intercourse. It is possible she had been exposed to some strain of HPV if she had any intimate contact prior to meeting you.
Assuming the two of you are now sexually involved, then the two of you have already swapped whatever strains of HPV either brought to the relationship. Assuming this will remain a monogamous relationship, then no other strains will voluntarily be brought to the relationship.
There are two different lines of thought on this. One set or researchers say the strains of HPV can be "fought" but not totally go away. The strain(s) could reactivate later in life. Other researchers say that once the body has "fought" a strain that strain will never reactivate. It is possible to have not any symptoms or results that show an high risk HPV infection until many years (sometimes decades) after initial exposure.
There, currently, is no way to know if a strain of HPV has been fought and is inactive. The HPV/dna test only verifies that there is an active strain of HPV in the body (that is active enough to be noted by the test - some infections are not detected, but exist). Bummer.
You can not be "reinfected" with a strain of HPV which you have already been exposed to. It is possible for the strain to reactivate (because of stress), but it doesn't go away and come back (like a sinus infection). It is a virus and the body will always hold a record of having been exposed to that virus (similar to how the body holds a record of having had chicken pox as a child).
Quote:
|
One thing I've never seen is how the hpv infection in men corellatws to the infection the woman gets. In other words - if I knew the exact type of hpv I had would that be the exact type my wife would get? Or is there no corellation?
|
I've never seen this, either. Some people never have negative reactions to HPV (low risk or high risk), others do. There is no guarantee that since you have no negative response to HPV that your fiance'/wife won't, or vice versa.
The good news is that greater than 80% of women over 50 have been exposed to a strain of HPV at some point in her life. That means HPV is VERY common. There are relatively few women who have any problems (like bad paps) from an HPV infection. AND since many women keep up on their paps (I hope) then the testing/screening (paps and HPV/dna testing) usually detect any problems early on. When detected and/or treated early, a persistent HPV infection rarely progresses to cancer.
So, a few suggestions for your fiance'/wife are to keep up with paps and HPV/dna screening, consider the vaccine, lead a healthy lifestyle.
I hope that helps.
