Terri I have question on HPV

[MrX]

Hi Terri,

I have a quick hypothetical question on HPV (you can charge me for two herpes questions if you like).

I had genital warts 25 years ago, treated with laser, never had a recurrence and never gave it to anyone. I understand that the virus ‘clears’ after a few years. Does that mean:

(i) I am back in the pre-HPV stage, start all over at zero and I can get warts again from a fresh infection caused by someone new? OR
(ii) I already have it dormant in my system to so I am immune from a fresh infection and there is no way to ‘get it again’ other than having a natural recurrence which is unlikely?

which of these is true?

[Terri Warren]

It is extremely unlikely that you would have a recurrence of the same type of the virus that caused your warts, and most often external genital warts are caused by types 6 or 11. But you could acquire a new type of the virus – either 6 or 11, whichever you didn’t have or you could acquire any of the other 40+ types that can cause genital infection, visible or not. So my answer really doesn’t fit with either of your options but do you see what I mean here?

Terri

[Author]

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