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Anal HPV - Heterosexual Man
Hi Doctor,
I´m heterosexual and in my entire life I only had sex with one person, my current wife (I know this is rare, but it is true...). I never had anal sex, never played with toys in the anus, etc. I have some anal bumps and after detailed medical examination (including biopsy) it was identified as HPV. I´ve seen some articles in this forum indicating that this is possible without having anal sex in certain conditions if I have it in the penis, but this would mean that I got this desease from my wife and it´s unlikely that she got this from another person (from what I know, she only had sex with me during her entire life also). Ok, I can be mistaken about her... but I was wondering whether there´s any possibility that I got this HPV indirectly through the use of contaminated toiled bowl because I´m used to going to shared restrooms very often. Please consider also that I live in a 3rd world country where hygiene is not as good as in the US or other 1st world country.
Another question is about my daugther. She´s a baby and I give her bath every day and also change dippers and touch her anus and vagina with my fingers during that for cleaning purposes. Is there any risk she could get contaminated with my HPV due to this practice? Should I wear gloves when doing it as a precaution?
Thanks in advance.
I´m heterosexual and in my entire life I only had sex with one person, my current wife (I know this is rare, but it is true...). I never had anal sex, never played with toys in the anus, etc. I have some anal bumps and after detailed medical examination (including biopsy) it was identified as HPV. I´ve seen some articles in this forum indicating that this is possible without having anal sex in certain conditions if I have it in the penis, but this would mean that I got this desease from my wife and it´s unlikely that she got this from another person (from what I know, she only had sex with me during her entire life also). Ok, I can be mistaken about her... but I was wondering whether there´s any possibility that I got this HPV indirectly through the use of contaminated toiled bowl because I´m used to going to shared restrooms very often. Please consider also that I live in a 3rd world country where hygiene is not as good as in the US or other 1st world country.
Another question is about my daugther. She´s a baby and I give her bath every day and also change dippers and touch her anus and vagina with my fingers during that for cleaning purposes. Is there any risk she could get contaminated with my HPV due to this practice? Should I wear gloves when doing it as a precaution?
Thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Of course the last sentence should read "It should not be a big deal to you".
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. I'll try to help.
Your situation, although not typical, isn't a rare one either. Anal warts are not at all rare in strictly heterosexual men. The exact mechanisms of anal inoculation aren't clear, but probably involve local spread from the genital area, or perhaps inoculation by hand contact, e.g. after touching the genitals -- or by spread of secretions during sex, even though there is no intended direct anal contact.
As for the ultimate origin, if your wife indeed is your only lifetime sex partner, it's a good bet you caught it from her. But maybe not. Some HPV infections of the anal or genital area might be due to common skin wart HPV types, i.e. not acquired sexually. A certain small percentage of genital (or anal) HPV infections have mysterious origins, i.e. are simply unexplained. Whether there are true exceptions to the usual sexual route of exposure simply isn't known. There is no known link with public hygiene in any country.
There should be little if any risk to your daughter. Using common-sense hygiene in your home makes sense. Most important, wash your hands with soap and water after you use the toilet. Do that and there should be no risk whatever to your daughter. (Even if you don't wash carefully, the risk she will catch your infection still would be very low. But it's just common sense to do it.) Of course, most children catch HPV infections (non-genital, non-sexual types) at one time or another, generally from other children. So your daughter someday may develop warts of the hands, feet, etc. If and when that happens, it won't be from you.
Please look at this as a minor health concern -- an inconvenience, not a serious health risk to you, your wife, your daughter, or anyone else. It should be a big deal to you.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Your situation, although not typical, isn't a rare one either. Anal warts are not at all rare in strictly heterosexual men. The exact mechanisms of anal inoculation aren't clear, but probably involve local spread from the genital area, or perhaps inoculation by hand contact, e.g. after touching the genitals -- or by spread of secretions during sex, even though there is no intended direct anal contact.
As for the ultimate origin, if your wife indeed is your only lifetime sex partner, it's a good bet you caught it from her. But maybe not. Some HPV infections of the anal or genital area might be due to common skin wart HPV types, i.e. not acquired sexually. A certain small percentage of genital (or anal) HPV infections have mysterious origins, i.e. are simply unexplained. Whether there are true exceptions to the usual sexual route of exposure simply isn't known. There is no known link with public hygiene in any country.
There should be little if any risk to your daughter. Using common-sense hygiene in your home makes sense. Most important, wash your hands with soap and water after you use the toilet. Do that and there should be no risk whatever to your daughter. (Even if you don't wash carefully, the risk she will catch your infection still would be very low. But it's just common sense to do it.) Of course, most children catch HPV infections (non-genital, non-sexual types) at one time or another, generally from other children. So your daughter someday may develop warts of the hands, feet, etc. If and when that happens, it won't be from you.
Please look at this as a minor health concern -- an inconvenience, not a serious health risk to you, your wife, your daughter, or anyone else. It should be a big deal to you.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Ok, Thank you Dr.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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