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Comment by rdevsrex | Hacker News Reader

So, if HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, and you are in a monogamous relationship, and you and your partner don't have it, what's to worry about here?

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How do you know? HPV is transmitted by skin to skin contact. Have you ever had a wart on your skin, anywhere?

HPV is incredibly common, contagious, and causes no noticeable effects in the overwhelming majority of cases. If you've had sex with more than one person, or the person you've had sex with has had sex with more than one, you've probably been exposed to one or more strains.

You’re making two points there. The response to the first is that the vast majority of cancer causing strains of HPV produce no noticeable warts. The second is yep, it’s common as hell - at least in older generations, post widespread availability of gardisil

Furthermore condoms are ineffective at stopping HPV transmission, even though they are very effective against HIV. This is why almost every adult carries HPV (or did until a few years ago when the vaccines rolled out).

Apparently about 80% of sexually active people have some form of HPV.

Even when people think they don't have it, it's quite probable they do. Statistically speaking, more than a couple people in these comments have some form of it.

Even for the generations now who grew up with freely-available (but sadly not "matter-of-course") HPV vaccination?

Can't answer your question but AFAIK the vaccination only covers something like 6 strains of HPV and there are many more.

There is a 9-valent vaccine for HPV but I don’t know if it is approved in the US.

It’s a shame that the vaccine isn’t approved for older people as it appears to suppress a variety of viral cancers beyond HPV specifically.

Probably.

Google is telling me you can receive the vaccine as early as 9, but it’s typically recommended/given at 11-12.

If that’s correct, HPV is something as simple as foot/hand warts that can often be spread in things like gym locker rooms. A fair amount of people are exposed to those environments around or before that age, & sometimes it’s spread by something as simple as your shared home bathtub/shower.

Monogomous doesn't mean anything in this context. It is possible to get it from non-sexual encounters - we've confirmed cases in virgins, after all [1] and if anyone has ever had other partners, they (or you!) have even more chance to have it as skin to skin contact will spread it (in other words, that condom won't stop it). Most people have had HPV at least once in their life. A lot of strains simply have no symptoms whatsoever, so folks don't even know they had it. Many cases simply clear up on their own after producing no symptoms. Some do cause warts and some hang around and cause cancer later in life, though.

[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33101476/#:~:text=The%20hori....

Can you be sure you've never been exposed to HPV? HPV is extremely common, most HPV infections are asymptomatic, and HPV can lie dormant in the body for years.

Rather than "worry," there are a few actionable items -

1) Get your HPV vaccine and encourage others to get theirs

2) Get regular cervical cancer screenings ("pap test") if you have a cervix

3) See a medical professional if you have any symptoms

It’s extremely widespread and in general there aren’t any tests for it. Fortunately there’s a vaccine now.

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