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Does Type 6 And 11 Strain Of HPV Causing Genital Warts Considered As Low Risk? Can It Cause Cancer?

Posted on Thu, 31 Oct 2013

Question: type 6 and 11 strain of HPV that causes genital warts are considered low risk. Can they turn into high risk type 16 or 18 the types that can cause cancer ? And can my genital wart be tested to be assured that it is the low risk strain. ?
And finally, can my genital warts (strain 6 and 11) turn into the other strain (16 or 18) if my girlfriend becomes infected ?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Serotypes cannot be changed. Girlfriend is safe from cancer

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,

Thanks for posting your query.

Sero-types of HPV will not get changed after it gets infected into somebody's body.There is no such possibility. You can take it granted that you had been assured by the test, that you had been infected with low strain HPV as far as genital cancer is concerned.
Similarly it could not be possible for your girl friend to get a HPV strain other than 6 and 11 from you, if at all she got infected with HPV.
So you both remain safe as far as the possibility of genital cancer is concerned as long as you both have a monogamous relationship.
Dr. S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (14 hours later)

Can I be tested to find out which strain of HPV I have ?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Not in all laboratories, only in sophisticated lab

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.

HPV sero-typing is not being in all Laboratories. It can be done in specialized virological laboratories available in bigger cities of developed countries like USA, Canada.

Dr S.Murugan

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

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar