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Hi, I'm an 18 year old female and just a few days back I was diagnosed with high risk HPV (type 16).Which is weird because before i got the results of the test, I had warts and I thought they only occurred in people with the low risk HPV. Anyway, I have a couple of concerns which are really stressing me out and it would be great if they could be clarified. 1) Does HPV lead to HIV? I am asking this because my OBGY had told me to get myself tested for HIV and my result was negative. But as HIV shows up only 3 months after you get it, should i get tested again cause I did have intercourse last month. All my previous sexual partners do NOT have HIV, but will it still develop in me because i have high risk HPV?
3) I have heard have in most cases high risk HPV does go away without leading to cancer. Could someone tell me what measures I can take to boost up my immunity and hopefully clear out the virus? I just turned 18 and finding out that I have the high risk HPV was a huge disappointment and I was really upset until I found out it can be cleared.
Thank You!
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Hello EvaG007,
Welcome to the EmpowHER community. I can appreciate how you must be feeling after receiving the diagnosis and will try my best to answer your questions.
High-risk HPVs can cause cancer. About a dozen high-risk HPV types have been identified, but two of these, HPV types 16 and 18, are responsible for most HPV-caused cancers.
Most high-risk HPV infections occur without any symptoms, go away within 1 to 2 years, and do not cause cancer. Some HPV infections, however, can persist for many years. Persistent infections with high-risk HPV types can lead to cell changes that, if untreated, may progress to cancer.
Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, and just two HPV types, 16 and 18, are responsible for about 70 percent of all cases.
About 95 percent of anal cancers are caused by HPV. Most of these are caused by HPV type 16.
About 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV. In the United States, more than half of cancers diagnosed in the oropharynx are linked to HPV type 16. Oropharyngeal cancers include cancers of the middle part of the throat, including the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils.
HPV causes about 65 percent of vaginal cancers, 50 percent of vulvar cancers, and 35 percent of penile cancers. Most of these are caused by HPV type 16.
University of California San Francisco researchers "have found a novel association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and increased HIV acquisition in women. The study team also identified specific types of HPV associated with HIV infection, suggesting a biological basis for HIV transmission to women."
Here is the link to that article, http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0010094
EvaG007, I urge you to always have protected intercourse with your partner using a condom each time and from start to finish. You are at increased risk for developing HIV.
Follow your physician's recommendation for subsequent screening.
Harvard Medical School Health Publications posts tips to boost your immune system.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
Wishing you the best.
October 11, 2016 - 8:41amMaryann
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