HPV (human papillomavirus) is the most common sexually transmitted infection affecting over 20 million Americans and being acquired by 6.2 million more each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By the age of 50, 80 percent of sexually active adults will have experienced some type of HPV infection. Most people associate STI’s as the result of sexual intercourse, whether it be vaginal or anal. Unfortunately this is a common misconception. Intercourse is not necessary at all to acquire HPV; various high risk strains of which are known to cause invasive cancer predominantly of the genital area. While the majority of HPV infections do involve areas such as the cervix, penis, vagina, vulva and anus, recent studies have also shown that HPV is a higher risk for causing oral cancer than smoking. The connection - oral sex.
Until these recent studies were released it was thought that HPV was limited to the genital area including the anus. There has also been controversy regarding other means of transmission aside from the skin-to-skin contact with an HPV infected area.
It is now believed that there are other ways and one of those is the use of sex toys. Another means of transmission is simply the use of one's fingers when it comes to sexual stimulation and foreplay.
Dr. Joel Palefsky, Professor of Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine and specializing in infectious disease (primarily HPV) has long believed in foamite transmission. Foamites are inanimate objects such as sex toys.
It is not uncommon during foreplay or even just genital fondling for HPV to be transferred from a pre-existing area of infection to other areas as well. In women with AIN (anal intraepithelial neoplasia), the precancerous anal lesions resulting from HPV, it is known that a significant number of these women have never engaged in anal sex. According to Palefsky, “there are only so many other possibilities for how it could have gotten there. We know that people can autoinnoculate”. Simply looking at the way in which women are taught to use toilet paper (wiping front to back) makes the likelihood for autoinoculation more obvious.
Not all physicians are up-to-date with the most current information regarding HPV, which would include various means of transmission. Many women reported that upon receiving a diagnosis of HPV they were not given any information at all, others were given limited information and usually told it was unlikely they would need to worry as the virus should “clear” within 24 months.
While the majority of individuals with HPV do not develop persistent infection and/or cancer, obviously there are those who do and since there is no way to determine who will and who won’t, the importance of follow-up should always be stressed to patients. Patients deserve to be informed regarding the potential risks and the importance of follow-up screening. Become blasé regarding the likelihood of a persistent infection and cancer may lead a patient to believe that follow-ups really aren’t that significant.
The discussion of sex toys is probably something which will not come up in conversation with your doctor, so having this information is important to one’s sexual health.
Sources:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/483621_4
http://www.thebody.com/content/art50604.html
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#common
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358089n
Reviewed June 29, 2011