My name is Isabelle, I am a 19 year old girl from Switzerland.
So here is what happened... One year ago I went to Costa Rica on a volunteer project. Over there I met a beautiful Costa Rican who was then 32 years of age and married - but seperated from his wife - with a child. He was my first and only, did not use protection. After leaving the country, about 3-4 weeks later, I had a pap smear in Australia. They told me I had HPV, low grade abnormality. I informed Mr. Costa Rican and he freaked out on me, telling me he had done examinations and that he was fine, but was going to do more to be sure. Later on he wrote to me saying that the doctor specialist whoever tested him again for HPV and said he didn't have any disease of that type. He came to the conclusion that my test results were wrong. 6 months later I had another pap smear in Switzerland, my country of origin, and got the same results as in Australia. I find it hard to believe that he is fine, but I am wondering what kind of tests he's been doing, since all the information I've found so far says that HPV testing for men does not exist yet. And I don't think he tested for warts, as in his email he says that he went to the doctor who checked him up, then the doctor sent him to a lab to make specific tests, then took those results and went back to the doctor to get them analysed and explained. What conclusion am I supposed to get to with all this info, that all in all, ends up being very vague?? Everyone has told me it was not possible otherwise, he was the only one who could have given me the virus since he is the only guy I have ever slept with. Had never even come close to having a sexual relationship before him... What do you think ?? He knows my results are all positive, and he knows he was my first, yet he still refuses to believe he is ill. I figure it is useless to tell him all this, to say that there is no possible testing for men. I can't prove myself right, and there is no cure anyway. So there really is no point in making him feel worse. I thought perhaps his wife could get tested as they have gotten back together recently, but even then, it is possible that her HPV may have already left her body, so again, I lose. Well, I hope you can help. Thank you very much. good luck to all xoxo

Hello Isabelle

Try to look at this in perspective. HPV is not like other sexually transmitted infections, which need to be detected and treated. HPV is a virus that lives in the skin, rather than in your body. There is no clear health benefit to knowing you have this virus—since HPV is unlikely to affect your health and cannot be treated. For most men, there would be no need to treat HPV, even if treatment were available— since it usually goes away on its own. You have informed your friend about it and that's all you need to do.

The main (and a very small) risk to women is cervical cancer for which a vaccine is becoming available. There are millions more women having HPV than have cervical cancer. Sometime it is difficult to be sure about the source of an infection. I would advice you not to worry about this. The HPV vaccine is recommended for 11-12 year-old girls, and can be given to girls as young as 9. The vaccine is also recommended for 13-26 year-old girls/women who have not yet received or completed the vaccine series. Ask your doctor if you might benefit from having the vaccine. More...

Hope that helps.

Best wishes
Vinod