Vaginal Lessions and HPV-16

[dotbo]

My girlfriend told me she has precancerous cells on her vagina, which were caused by high risk HPV.  (She told me after we'd had sex several times.)

According to this, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/93520816/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

HPV-16 causes vaginal cancer, is one of the high risk HPVs, and also causes penile cancer.  Also, if I choose to leave and move on, I'd need to inform my new partners of the risk, right?

According to this website,
http://ask.metafilter.com/84606/HPV-Clearance-in-a-journal-article
HPV-16 takes longer to clear than most other HPV strains.

[alexdelong]

The ethical issues can make for tough questions. I know I always have a tough time figureing them out. This link might be helpful to you though.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV-questions-from-a-male-who-has-been-exposed-and-may-be-a-carrier/show/1020795

[alexdelong]

If you had unprotected sex with her while she has the virus, there is a good chance that you were infected as well, unless you had this infection in the past, in which case you are likely immune.

This strain of HPV does seem to take longer to clear than others, but it still clears quickly for most people.

I am not a doctor, nor an expert on HPV. I think it would be a good idea to inform immediate partners of a possible risk, but it becomes difficult to determine the extent of disclosure when you don't know if you are even infected. Furthermore,there is a level of risk will all partners, almost all of whom are unaware of their HPV status. Still, disclosure seems like the proper thing to do, at least in the immediate future.

I wouldn't be too worried about penile cancer. It is really rare in the West.