HPV Infection

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

HPV Infection

Question:

My Pap test last year was positive for genital human papillomavirus. I was not given any advice when I received the test results. Should my partner not have oral sex with me? Will wearing a condom during sexual intercourse protect him?

Answer:

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a common virus that infects the skin and mucous membranes that line the mouth and vagina.

The virus is transmitted from one person to another by skin-to-skin contact. You can get HPV though intercourse and oral sex. Not all exposure to HPV leads to an infection. Being infected depends on many factors, including the person's immune system and type of HPV.

Dozens of types of HPV have been identified. Each type has a tendency to infect a particular part of the body. Types 6 and 11 are the most important types causing genital warts in women. Other types called high risk HPV (especially types 16 and 18) are important in the development of cervical cancer. If a woman has an abnormal pap smear, she may also be tested for HPV. If she has a high-risk virus, she needs careful monitoring to watch for changes in the cervix that can lead to cancer.

It is very difficult to prevent the spread of HPV from person to person because many people with the virus have no symptoms.

Unless you have a new partner, it is quite likely that a steady partner has already been exposed and may be the source of your infection.

Condoms do not provide complete protection because they may not cover the area of skin that harbors the virus.

Joan Bengtson, M.D., is assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproduction at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009