Transmission of HPV in general

Other types of genital contact in the absence of penetrative intercourse (oral-genital, manual-genital, and genital-genital contact) leading to HPV transmission have been described, but these routes of transmission are less common than sexual intercourse (21;88-90). For example, a recent study of college-aged women in Seattle reported a two-year genital HPV incidence rate of 39% among sexually active women and 8% among women who had not engaged in penetrative vaginal intercourse. Almost all of the infections in women who had not engaged in sexual intercourse appeared to be related to genital contact other than penetrative intercourse (21).

This study also found minimal evidence of HPV transmission through oral sex (either transmitted from the genital area to the mouth or the mouth to the genital area) (21). Genital HPV infection also may be transmitted by non-sexual routes, but this is extremely uncommon. Non-sexual routes of genital HPV transmission include transmission from a mother to a newborn baby, which is rare (91;92), and transmission by inanimate objects such as environmental surfaces and clothing, which has been hypothesized but has never been documented (93-96).****

Transmission of HPV through routes other than sexual is definitely possible. One may be exposed to HPV simply by shaking hands as suggested in the finding of HPV virus under fingernails. Sexually Transmitted Infections 1999 Oct;75(5):317-9:

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA on the fingers of patients with genital warts.

Sonnex C, Strauss S, Gray JJ, Department of GU Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England.

“14 men and eight women with genital warts had cytobrush samples taken from genital lesions, finger tips, and tips of finger nails. Samples were examined for the presence of HPV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction.

HPV DNA was detected in all female genital samples and in 13/14 male genital samples. HPV DNA was detected in the finger brush samples of three women and nine men. The same HPV type was identified in genital and hand samples in one woman and five men.

This study has identified hand carriage of genital HPV types in patients with genital warts. Although sexual intercourse is considered the usual mode of transmitting genital HPV infection, our findings raise the possibility of transmission by finger-genital contact.”

Condoms offer little protection against HPV since any skin-to-skin contact can result in transmission of the virus.

Genital human papillomavirus infection: incidence and risk factors in a cohort of female university students.

Winer RL, Lee SK, Hughes JP, Adam DE, Kiviat NB, Koutsky LA. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98103, USA.

"Incidence data on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection are limited, and risk factors for transmission are largely unknown. The authors followed 603 female university students in Washington State at 4-month intervals between 1990 and 2000. At each visit, a sexual and health questionnaire was completed and cervical and vulvovaginal samples were collected to detect HPV DNA. At 24 months, the cumulative incidence of first-time infection was 32.3% (95% confidence interval: 28.0, 37.1). Incidences calculated from time of new-partner acquisition were comparable for enrolled virgins and nonvirgins. Smoking, oral contraceptive use, and report of a new male sex partner––in particular, one known for less than 8 months before sex occurred or one reporting other partners––were predictive of incident infection.

Always using male condoms with a new partner was not protective. Infection in virgins was rare, but any type of nonpenetrative sexual contact was associated with an increased risk. Detection of oral HPV was rare and was not associated with oral-penile contact. The data show that the incidence of HPV associated with acquisition of a new sex partner is high and that nonpenetrative sexual contact is a plausible route of transmission in virgins."

Transmission of genital human papillomavirus infections is unlikely through the floor and seats of humid dwellings in countries of high-level hygiene.

Puranen M, Syrjanen K, Syrjanen S Department of Pathology, University of Kuopio, Finland.

"To evaluate the transmission of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) through the floor and seats of humid dwellings, samples were collected with a toothbrush from the floor and seat surfaces of humid dwellings; showers, saunas and dressing rooms. The survey included 3 bathing resorts, 1 indoor swimming pool, 2 schools and 2 private homes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the human beta-globin gene and HPV DNA. The results for HPV DNA amplification were confirmed by Southern blot hybridization under low stringency using a probe mixture of HPV types 6, 16, 18 and 31. beta-globin could be amplified only from 3 sample taken from a dressing room of and indoor public swimming pool. No HPV DNA-positive samples were found. These results indicate that transmission of genital HPV infection via floor or seat surfaces in the above dwellings in general or family use is highly unlikely."

Rice PS, Cason J, Best JM, Banatvala JE. Department of Virology, Guy's, Kings and St Thomas' Medical School, Kings College London, St Thomas' Hospital, UK.

"It is well recognized that high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are spread by sexual activity, but the possibility of non-sexual transmission remains controversial. We present evidence for vertical transmission from at least 30% HPV positive mothers to their infants, resulting in persistent infection in children. That the mother is the source of infant infection has been confirmed by DNA sequencing. We also discuss the evidence for oral HPV-16 infection in children.

In our own studies, HPV-16 DNA was detected in buccal cells from 48% children, aged 3-11 and transcriptionally active infection was confirmed in some children. Other studies have reported prevalences of 19%-27% among children less than 11 years of age. Studies that have failed to detect high-risk HPVs in children have used techniques which were insufficiently sensitive to detect the low levels of virus present. Serological studies also suggest that < or = 45% prepubertal children have acquired HPV-16. Thus, convincing evidence is now available for vertical transmission of high risk HPVs, which probably results in widespread infection among children. The consequences of such infections remain to be elucidated."

Presence of antibodies to human papillomavirus virus-like particles (VLPs) in 11-13-year-old schoolgirls.

Cubie HA, Plumstead M, Zhang W, de Jesus O, Duncan LA, Stanley MA. Regional Clinical Virology Laboratory, City Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

"To allow meaningful approaches to vaccine development, it is important to know the extent of exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV) within the general population, and particularly the age at which the at risk population is infected. The humoral response to human papillomavirus is directed largely to conformationally-dependent epitopes on the whole virion. Virus-like particles (VLPs) of HPV types 1, 2, and 16 were produced using a baculovirus expression system, and were used in the intact state as antigen in an indirect ELISA. Anonymised serum samples from a cohort of Edinburgh schoolgirls were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies directed against the VLPs. The reproducibility of the ELISA was assured by repeated testing of control samples, and by testing all samples in duplicate and, where possible, on several occasions.

Of 1,192 tested with the HPV16 VLPs, 90 (7.6%) were classified as clearly positive, and a further 87 (7.3%) were positive but close to the cutoff calculated by comparison with a group of consistently negative sera. Antibodies to HPV2 were detected in 37.5% (407/1,139) and antibodies to HPV 1 in 51.9% (558/1,076) of the schoolgirls. Antibodies to both HPV1 and HPV2 were found frequently, being present in 29.7% (295/ 993) of samples tested; 40 samples had antibodies to all three types. The significance of these results is discussed."

Detection of human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 in pubic and perianal hair from patients with genital warts.

Boxman IL, Hogewoning A, Mulder LH, Bouwes Bavinck JN, ter Schegget J. Department of Virology, Academic Medical Center, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

"Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 are of clinical importance due to their role in the development of anogenital warts. A pilot study was performed to investigate whether DNAs from HPV types 6 and 11 are present in hairs plucked from the pubic and perianal regions and eyebrows of patients with genital warts at present and patients with a recent history of genital warts. Genital HPV DNA was detected in 9 of 25 (36%) pubic hair samples and in 11 of 22 (50%) perianal hair samples by the CPI/CPIIg PCR. After sequencing of 17 of 20 samples, HPV type 6 or 11 was detected in 6 of 25 (24%) hair samples from the pubis and 8 of 22 (36%) hair samples from the perianal region. These types were not detected in plucked eyebrow hairs. In contrast, the HPV types associated with epidermodysplasia verruciformis were detected in similar proportions (62%) in both samples of pubic and eyebrow hairs.

Moreover, HPV type 6 and 11 DNAs were detected in pubic hairs plucked from two patients who had been successfully treated and who did not show any lesion at the time of hair collection; this finding is an argument that HPV DNA may persist in this region. The presence of genital HPV types in plucked pubic and perianal hair suggests that there is an endogenous reservoir for HPV which may play a role in the recurrences of genital warts."

“The opt out says - this is serious and you need to think about it.”

Isn’t this best (and more credibly) said to parents and daughters by the pediatrician/family doctor rather than by some political hack or government bureaucrat?

The whole point of the conservative antipathy to Obamacare is the belief that individuals and their physicians are more knowledgeable than the government about what is best-practice health care for those individuals. HPV isn't remotely like the other contagious childhood diseases for which the state mandates vaccinations.

According to the data above in this thread, there are a number of ways a young person could become infected with HPV and not have been sexually active at all.

That makes it a disease that the state should have a real interest in. However, fair disclosure, I also think the state should be involved in controlling syphilis and gonorhhea, diseases that are not as communicable as is hpv.

Levels of interest could be:

quarantine
forcible innoculation
required innoculation
required innoculation with opt out
innoculation with opt in
public service recommendation.

I would place the plague at the worst level, quarantine. I would place the common cold as a public service recommendation. I’d make hpv a required innoculation with opt out.

I think we should require that everybody get the flu shot, including children or they can't got to school or work. After all people, including children, die from the flu every year. While we're at it, everybody has to have the Pneumonia vaccine also. Lots of people die from that. Just think of the savings in health care costs. /s/

I never thought I'd see the day when FR motto became “I'm the government and I'm here to help”.

Can I expect you to answer with the whole truth? Here is the question for those who defend Perry’s use of EO to mandate the vaccine.

How is Perry any different on this kind of issue than Mike Bloomberg? Mayor Bloomberg mandates no smoking anywhere in his city. Bloomberg mandates no salt on restaurant tables. Etc etc. Cite: http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/bloomberg-s-salt-shakeup-1.1882403

What is the limit of limits on liberty and the choice of free adults in a free society balanced against Public Health “needs”?

Specifically how was Governor Perry’s emergency EO restriction on parental liberty, different than Mayor Bloomberg’s many assaults on the liberty of free adults in restaurants?

I think the government has long had a legitimate role in public health. Personally, I think the early AIDS patients should have been quarantined.

So far as the way the country deals with any disease, it is a matter of risk assessment. On the one hand you have the probability of the danger and on the other hand you have the lethality/criticality of the danger.

If you have a danger that is highly probably and highly lethal, then you must act.

If you have a danger that has a low probability of occurence and a very low criticality, then you do nothing.

Interestingly, the big issue is when there is a low probability but a high lethality. (HIV would fit this) You need to act, in my opinion.

Oh? How do you define communicable? Elite statists like Bloomerg argue that a smoker or fan of salty food communicates the habit of smoking or eating salty food to others.

Do you deny that we humans communicate both bad habits and bad disease vectors to each other?

Cervical cancer is NOT high probability. And it is only deadly in the late stages of the disease.

Nor is having warts (HPV) a sure sign one will get cervical cancer. Less than 1 in ten. And even less is one does not have many sexual partners even if one already has HPV. Why? Because a promiscuous life style with many sex partners causes a plethora of challenges to the immune system.

I laughed when I read how people get addicted to smoking by other people smoking. That would be like getting jailed cause it happened to the guy down the road.

A communicable disease is an infection that is transmissible from person to person by direct contact with that person or that person’s discharges or by indirect means

Social pressure is the greatest influence in the development of habits, both good and bad. Bad habits can spread like wildfire through a population.

Ask any single mom.

Warning: to all.

Stop kidding yourselves. About anything.

Bad behavior goes viral. It can be deadly. It is certainly life-diminishing.

Perry acted like a dictator. If you elect him ...

Bad behavior goes viral. It can be deadly. It is certainly life-diminishing. Perry acted like a dictator. If you elect him ...

We'll put you in a room full of tuberculosis and measles patients, and we'll put me in a room full of people who chew and smoke.

Then we'll see who demands to get the heck out of there.

I didn’t even know about it til a few weeks ago...and, at my age, there really isn’t going to be a lot of benefit. Even if I had it, I’d be dead anyway before this stuff got around to killing me.

And fertility is no longer an issue. :>)

But put me in a room with people with of warts (HPV) and I’ll be perfectly fine. Wouldn’t I now?

You just lost by your own logic. Sorry, xzins.

Hardly, because the discussion was about rowdy behavior being contagious.

HPV, on the other, is communicable.

HPV, on the other, is communicable.

Warts (which are the body's sign of having HPV, the reaction the body has to the HPV) are NOT easily communicable but they are communicable only by certain bad habits, those being bad hygiene and promiscuity. The bad habits are even MORE communicable than the virus.

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