Hey everyone,

I've tried to get a response for an ealier post but maybe it was too long and disjointed. So I have a few questions that hopefully someone can help me with...

If a male has high-risk HPV, will he know that the virus is active by the presence of lesions on the genital or anal area?

If the lesions are not present, does that mean that if he does have high-risk HPV then that the virus is not contagious?

If no lesions ever occur, is it safe to assume that the HPV has cleared his system and is no longer contagious?



Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these questions!

Men (and women for that matter) rarely have any visible lesions develop with "high risk" types of HPV. There are few specific diagnostic options available for men, as screening for guys usually consists of a visual inspection (sometimes with a magnifying lens) to try and detect any lesions that might be present on the skin.

HPV of any type can be transmitted even if no visible signs or symptoms can be detected. At some point for most, though, the immune system seems able to clear/suppress HPV, leading many researchers to think the virus is not likley to always be contagious to new partners. The hard part, of course, is no way exists to prove at what point one is unlikely to transmit HPV.

Let us know if you have more questions, or need clarification.

Best,
Fredo

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ASHA Moderator