From the Guidelines
Yes, HPV can be contagious even without visible lesions or symptoms, as it can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, including vaginal, anal, or oral sex, even when an infected person shows no signs of infection. The virus can remain in the body for years without causing symptoms, during which time it can still be passed to sexual partners 1. This asymptomatic transmission is one of the main reasons HPV is so common, with most sexually active people acquiring at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.
Key Points to Consider
- HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom, making barrier methods only partially effective at preventing transmission 1.
- The virus infects skin cells and can be present on genital surfaces, allowing for transmission even without visible lesions or symptoms.
- Regular screening, such as Pap tests for women, and HPV vaccination are crucial for prevention, with the vaccine being most effective when given before any exposure to the virus 1.
- The HPV vaccine is typically recommended for adolescents aged 11-12, though it can be given through age 26 and in some cases up to age 45.
Prevention and Screening
- Correct and consistent male condom use can lower the chances of giving or getting genital HPV, but it is not fully protective 1.
- Sexually active persons can lower their chances of getting HPV by limiting their number of partners, but HPV is common and often goes unrecognized, even in persons with only one lifetime sex partner 1.
- The only definitive method to avoid giving and getting HPV infection and genital warts is to abstain from sexual activity 1.
From the Research
HPV Contagiousness
- HPV can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, even if there are no visible lesions 2, 3.
- The virus can be spread through anogenital contact and penetrative and non-penetrative sex 3.
- The use of condoms and dental dams may decrease the spread of the virus, but the evidence regarding the effects of condom use on the prevalence of genital warts is conflicting 2, 3.
Risk of Transmission
- The risk of transmission is higher with multiple sex partners, initiation of sexual activity at an early age, and not using barrier protection 2.
- Other risk factors for persistent HPV infections include other sexually transmitted infections, immunocompromised state, alcohol use, and smoking 2.
Prevention
- Vaccination is the primary method of prevention, and the nonavalent HPV vaccine is effective in preventing the development of high-grade precancerous cervical lesions in noninfected patients 2.
- Vaccination is ideally administered at 11 or 12 years of age, irrespective of the patient's sex, and a two-dose series is recommended if administered before 15 years of age 2.