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Can High Risk HPV Be On Someone's Hands For A While 20-30 Minutes?

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Posted on Wed, 14 Dec 2022
Question: I have a long question. I have been with the same person for over 20 years (we were virgins) and have never had sex with any one else. I however did go to a strip club and massage parlor a few times and here is what occurred.

1_ A few times I would get a massage with a happy ending at the end. The other person never did touch herself before or during this. On one occasion I did put my hand down the back of the girls pants and grabbed her butt. Where I could have possibly contacted HPV on my hands, but I didn't touch myself for at least 5-10 minutes later and that was only to get dressed.

2) A few times I met a couple of women from a dating site and they touched my penis for a few minutes (10-15). However, we chatted for a while before that (20-30 minutes) prior to them ever touching me. They never touched themselves the whole time I was with them but could have 30-40 minutes before we met. I did put my hands down the back of their pants all the way down to their anus but I never touched myself and washed my hands after we met. I did touch my genitals though, after I washed my hands about 15-20 minutes after these encounters.

I am extremely worried that I could have gotten HPV from these events, especially the High Risk HPV kind. It would kill me to have given her anything. A friend of mine had sex with a person and he gave his wife High Risk HPV and she later died from it (was the same age as my wife, 36).

So I am asking the following questions:
1) Can High Risk HPV be on someone's hands for a while (20-30 minutes) and still infect you when they touch your penis?
2) Can High Risk HPV be washed off if I came in contact with it when I touched their anus? Could it have survived under my finger nails and possibly have infected my wife or me if I touched our genitals hours later?
3) Is High Risk HPV mostly in the cervix area? So in theory would I have had to finger her to come in contact with it?

I Have come clean to my wife but the guilt is killing me and I think I had no risk but I want to be 100% sure.
Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Risk is low, but it is best to get tested

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting HCM

HPV virus is very easily transmitted. Fingering an affected person and then touching genitals technically puts you at risk for HPV. However, since you are mentioning around 20 minutes of time-lapse and washing hands, the risk is low but not completely absent.
There are no screening test for detecting HPV in men.
If you are worried about possibly having transmitted the infection to your wife, she should get tested for Hpv DNA (usually done along with pap smear testing)

Hope this answers your question
Please let me know if you need further clarification
Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (17 minutes later)
Thank you. Just a couple of quick questions. How long can high risk hpv live outside of the body? I have read and another doctor told me that it dies when it hits air rendering it useless. Is that what you have seen? Have you had anyone diagnosed with HPV from this kind of an event?

Is high risk hpv (the kind that causes cancer) mostly in the cervix area? So in theory it would have to take sex (vaginal/anal) to transmit this kind? I have no warts of any kind and these events happened in the Jan/Feb/Mar time frame.
Thank you
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
see details below

Detailed Answer:
Hi again,

As you mentioned the HPV virus dies on contact with the outside environment. However, there are certain instances where the virus survives underneath fingernails for adequate time causing disease transmission. That being said it is very rare and I have not personally encountered anyone who developed HPV like that.

HPV virus can be present in the cervix, genital area and around the anus of an affected person. So you do not need to have vaginal or anal sex for contracting the virus. Just touching the genital area or around the anal canal can transfer the virus to fingers.

Most of the men who have exposure to the HPV virus do not develop any warts. They may remain as asymptomatic carriers.

Given your history, the possibility of HPV transmission is very low. I suggested testing just to be on the safe side.

Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (1 hour later)
okay thank you. When you say to be tested you say my wife should be tested correct? So lets say that I did get it about 3-6 months ago and gave it to her, would it show up in a test? If she is negative for it after this test, would she need to be tested again in 6 to 12 months? I just don't want to worry about this for the rest of our lives.
Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
She can be tested now

Detailed Answer:
Hi again,

Yes, your wife is to be tested. The HPV test detects for the presence of HPV DNA in the cervix. The test can be done anytime after exposure.
Currently, most women will be tested for HPV DNA routinely while getting the Pap smear screening every 5 years.
You do not have to worry. Given the history, the possibility of HPV infection is negligible.

Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 3808 Questions

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Can High Risk HPV Be On Someone's Hands For A While 20-30 Minutes?

Brief Answer: Risk is low, but it is best to get tested Detailed Answer: Hello, Thank you for trusting HCM HPV virus is very easily transmitted. Fingering an affected person and then touching genitals technically puts you at risk for HPV. However, since you are mentioning around 20 minutes of time-lapse and washing hands, the risk is low but not completely absent. There are no screening test for detecting HPV in men. If you are worried about possibly having transmitted the infection to your wife, she should get tested for Hpv DNA (usually done along with pap smear testing) Hope this answers your question Please let me know if you need further clarification Regards Dr.Lekshmi