Hi all

A worried young woman who had just been told that she had HPV sent me an e-mail with the questions :
1. I was not told what kind of HPV i have but the doctor said that i had mild dysplasia and i was going to have to freeze the bad cells, could you tell me what kind i have?
2. If i don't have warts, can my boyfriend still get the warts or do i have to have them?
3. If we have oral sex ,and i or my boyfriend do not have warts, can we get them anyway?

I am answering the email here as it might be of interest to others, too
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Dear Axxx

Your doctor will need to do a test to identify the type of HPV you have. The human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common virus groups in the world to affect the skin and mucosal areas of the body. Over eighty types of HPV have been identified. HPV family of viruses comprises �low risk� viruses linked to benign infections such as warts and papillomas and �high-oncogenic-risk� viruses 16 and 18 linked to oral and cervical cancer. Different types of the human papillomavirus are known to infect different parts of the body. It infects the epithelial cells of skin and mucosa. The epithelial surfaces include all areas covered by skin and/or mucosa such as the mouth, throat, tongue, tonsils, vagina, penis, and anus. Infection with the virus occurs when these areas come into contact with a virus, allowing it to transfer between epithelial cells.

The most common forms of the virus produce warts (papilloma's) on the hands, arms, legs, and other areas of the skin. The wart-like growths are called condyloma tissues. Condyloma tissue appears like a small, cauliflower-type growth on the skin. These growths are usually painless, but can cause some irritation, itching, or burning. Genital warts are known technically as condylomata acuminatum and are generally associated with two HPV types, numbers 6 and 11 and can be sexually transmitted. The warts tend to be infective but can be treated. There is no reliably effective treatment though it """looks""" nicer if warts are removed. The problem is that HPV is often clinically UNDETECTABLE .

Most HPV's of this type are very common, harmless, non cancerous, and easily treatable . The higher risk HPV-16 viruses are also spread by sexual activity. Once in the body, the virus persists and moves to other mucosal sites via self-inoculation from the genitalia or oro-genital contact between sexual partners. Mothers harbouring the virus can transmit the virus to their babies during birth. HPV-16 virus are detected in the buccal cells of just under 50 per cent of asymptomatic pre-pubertal children. So avoiding initial exposure to the virus is impossible. HPV is the most prevalent STD in US at present. Well over 1/3rd of youngsters are estimated to be infected. Men are at greater risk than women of developing oral cancer. This thought to be related to significant differences in male sexual behaviour. Men with oral cancer self-reported a lower age at first sexual intercourse, an increased number of sexual partners , and a history of genital warts. In a high proportion of women with oral cancer, the same HPV type was also found in their cervical smears. According to Dr. Buck, gynaecologist at Watkins Health Centre, """50 to 60 percent of U.S. college-aged women have HPV, but only 10 percent have lesions.""" Condom use, and sensible behaviour, is considered to be protective against HPV infection.

However, millions of people infected with HPV suffer no symptoms as a result . Researchers publishing recent findings worry about media sensationalism and caution against overdoing HPV scare tactics. While HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer, and a cause of some oral cancer, most people with the virus do not get cancer of any type.

Hope this helps put the risks :bomb: in perspective. The only sensible bottom-line advice I could get from an expert is """Behave and wear condoms!'

Best wishes

Vinod :coffee:

An update:

Research is showing that Human papillomavirus positivity predicts favourable outcome for squamous carcinoma of the tonsil. These findings support the concept that HPV-positive tonsil cancers may be a distinct biological group with less aggressive characteristics. Screening of tonsil cancers for HPV DNA may help optimise treatment and provide more accurate prognostic information.

Best wishes
Vinod :coffee: