HPV confusion

[bosem]

Dear Doctor,

My girlfriend was diagnosed with hpv16  7 months ago. After the doctor gave her HPV vaccine ( gardasil) and we both have 2 of them and next month we will have the last injection. We had 3 cures of isoprinosine as well, each cure like 10 days. (btw i tested negative after 2 months of her diagnosis)

Yesterday, she went to a gynaecologist to have the tests for HPV to see if it is still there.

The doctor told her,

U have HPV 16 and its very very interesting that u dont have lesions inside of vagina. It looks perfect inside. And he said HPV is located just a point in vagina and u should have a little surgery to take out a small part of skin from inside and u will be cured for life. And he said that he can do that surgery.

After he said, "your boyfriend will have it for life and if u have sex again with him after that surgery , u will have HPV 16 again.

He also said isoprinosine does not have anything to do with HPV and vaccines are useless at this point. According to him, the chance of a negative HPV test for her is impossible and he needs to remove that part from vagina to test negative.

What this doctor says is totally different from what i have been reading for months. As i know she and i can be negative and immune after some time.

And as i know, if she tests negative , there is no way that she can get hpv 16 from me again (if i have it). Right?

I have a relation that is going to marriage and now he is saying that i can give her cancer bacause of hpv16 that she gave me in the first place. So from what he is saying i understand that i should finish this relationship bacause i can give  her HPV 16 again and cause her be cancer.

Doctor,please tell me if he can be right.

Thank you very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

typically surgery is not needed for HPV unless it has progressed to a cancerous or pre-cancerous lesion.  In fact, is is unusual for women to need surgery for HPV.  I would suggest that your girlfriend get another opinion from another docotr before undergoing surgery.  EWH

[bosem]

Thank you for the quick answer doctor.

Is that logical to have that kind of surgery for her? And if she has the surgery and get rid of HPV , is it possible for me to give it to her back again?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  Your doctor has provided your girlfriend with incorrect information.  This is a complex topic.  I will provide some brief responses to your questions but additional, more detailed information can be obtained from web sites run by the American Social Health Association (ASHA) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)..

Briefly, HPV infections are very, very common.  It is estimated that over 80% of adults will get HPV during their lives.  In most of these people these infections are eliminated by the body without therapy over a period of, on average, 18 months to two years.  In a very, very small proportion of persons with HPV the infection may progress and can go on to cause cancer.  These cancers are detected early in women by PAP smears and when they are detected, can be treated (for men progression to cancer is far, far less common).  

The HPV vaccine does not affect existing infections but it can prevent future infection by the HPV types which are contained in the vaccine.  That you and she are getting vaccine is a good thing

I anticipate that your girlfriend's HPV infection will ressolve.  Neither you nor she should worry about this infection.  Your girlfriend however should get regular PAP smears as recommended by her doctor.  

I hope these comments are helpful.  Please look at the ASHA or CDC web sites for more information.  EWH