Do I need to notify prior male partners of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

Notifying Prior Male Partners of HPV Infection

You do not need to notify prior male partners of HPV infection, as there is no clear health benefit to informing past partners of an HPV diagnosis. 1

Rationale for Not Notifying Past Partners

• HPV is extremely common, with nearly 80% of sexually active individuals having contact with HPV at some point in their lives 1
• Most HPV infections clear spontaneously without causing health problems 1
• The rate of cancer development in those who have been infected with HPV is very low 1
• The CDC guidelines specifically state that "it is unclear whether informing subsequent sex partners about a past diagnosis of genital warts is beneficial to the health of those partners" 1

Current Partner Notification Recommendations

While past partners do not need to be notified, current sexual partners should be informed:

• Persons with genital warts should inform current sex partner(s) because the warts can be transmitted to other partners 1
• Current partners may have already been exposed, and the risk that your partner will develop an HPV-related cancer is extremely low 1
• No specific changes to sexual practices are required in established relationships (current spouse or long-term partners) 1

Partner Testing and Screening

• HPV testing is unnecessary in sexual partners of persons with genital warts 1
• There is no FDA-approved screening test for oral/oropharyngeal HPV infection 1
• Female partners should follow normal gynecological health guidelines, including routine cervical cancer screening 1
• No specific follow-up is required for male partners in the absence of any standard HPV screening test for men 1

Risk to Partners

• The absolute risk of developing HPV-related cancer remains extremely low even for partners of patients with HPV-related cancers 1
• Some studies suggest a small increased risk (odds ratios between 2.6 and 6.7) for developing HPV-related cancers among spouses of patients with HPV-related cancer, but the absolute risk increase is small (1-3%) 2
• Other studies show that partners of patients with HPV-OPSCC (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma) do not have elevated oral HPV infection compared to the general population 1

Prevention Measures

• Correct and consistent male condom use can lower the chances of giving or getting genital warts, but is not fully protective because HPV can infect areas not covered by a condom 1
• HPV vaccination is most effective when administered before sexual contact 1
• The quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Gardasil) protects against the types that cause 90% of genital warts (types 6 and 11) and 70% of cervical cancers (types 16 and 18) 1, 3

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Unnecessarily alarming past partners about an infection that is extremely common and typically resolves on its own
• Creating stigma around HPV infection, which is a normal part of sexual activity for most adults
• Assuming that an HPV diagnosis implies high-risk sexual behavior, as HPV can be acquired even with a single lifetime sexual partner 1
• Overestimating the risk of cancer development in partners, which remains very low despite potential transmission

In conclusion, while current partners should be informed about an HPV diagnosis, there is no medical necessity or clear health benefit to notifying prior male partners of HPV infection.