Genital HPV or not?

[Pjackson35]

A couple of months ago I noticed a singular wart (or what seems to be one) on my left upper buttock fairly far from the anus.  I dismissed it as being nothing (I have had a couple of other warts in more normal places such as elbow and knee growing up).  Is this a genital wart or a strain of hpv that causes genital warts, Or is this much more likely to be a strain of HPV that causes warts in the other areas of the body?  I have never had anal sex or any kind or anal insertion.  The only other sexual exposures besides sex with my regular partner were a few massages that ended with handjobs.  After reading over the fourm I realized that this is a long shot but I feel I should also ask about syphilis. Could I have gotten syphilis from a handjob and maybe this is condyloma lata?
If this is a type of genital wart…should I not have sex with my partner, would that be putting them at risk given where the wart is?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

With all due respect, your doctor has over simplified things.

Auto inoculation is a very,very rare event and should not occur.  If this occurred regularly most people would be covered with warts.  The one rather common exception to this occurs when people shave over warts.  This does lead to auto inoculation and perhaps reflects introduction of the virus into the skin during the shaving process.

I agree with him about your partner's risk.  In part because of the issue of location but also because virtually every one has HPV and the observation is that transmission simpler does not occur all that commonly.  You can search this topic using the search function to see numerous other comments on this topic given by Dr. Handsfield and me.  EWH

[Pjackson35]

Went to the doc was confirmed that it was a wart.  The doctor explained that it could be any strain of HPV he then told me a couple of things that didn't make sense, I'm hoping you can confirm.

1) he told me I could auto imnoculate myself and give myself a wart if I touch my penis.

2) he explained that if it was a strain of hpv that does cause genital warts ( he didnt have much of an opinon that it was or wasnt) that I would not be putting my partner at risk because that area ( my buttocks) would not make contact with her body during intercourse. He dismissed the notion of viral shedding.

After seeing the doc I feel more confused...I'm fine with the wart and the removal process just concerned for my partner and being responsible

[Edward W Hook, MD]

HPV infections of all sorts occur when the virus is introduced to a person through DIRECT contact (touching).  When there is direct contact friction (rubbing) appears to make infection more likely EWH

[Pjackson35]

Thanks for the response...I'm a little confused on how you even get genital hpv. Can you get it from any other sexual activity outside of intercourse. How does one get regular warts?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll be pleased to comment but my comments are not meant to take the place of evaluation by a trained clinician and that is what I would recommend.  From what you tell me, this sounds unlikely to be a wart caused by the HPV types that are most common in the ano-genital area. These infections are typically transmitted by direct contact and it sounds as though your sexual activity is not likely to have inoculated you there.  

More importantly, for all practical purposes, a wart is a wart is a wart.  By this I  mean that, if this is a wart (see below) it is more a nuisance than anything else.  If it is troubling you get it treated and think no more about it.  Don't get caught up in non-productive questions like "where did this come from" or "who gave this to me" or "is this likely to cause cancer" (it is not).  Also, there is no reason to worry about your sex partner- remember, nearly all adults will have genital HPV infections at some time in their lives and again, other than being a nuisance, they are of no consequence.  There is certainly no reason to worry about this.

As for syphilis- VERY unlikely.  The wart-like lesions of secondary syphilis, called condylomata lata are rare and appear very quickly (in a few days or weeks), not gradually like typical HPV infections.

More importantly, given the rather unusual location, I suggest you have a trained clinician take a look- this may not be a wart but instead some other process such as a skin tag or folliculitis which would warrant a different approach to management.  

I hope this comment is helpful. EWH