Scarleteen

hello, i have had several warts on my feet and fingers throughout my life that i think were caused by hpv. however, i know that there are many different types of hpv and not all of them are spread only sexually. do i technically have an std? if i’ve treated them and they are gone (though they may come back, i’m not sure), can i spread them through sexual contact? thank you!

Hi mnths,

When we talk about HPV as an STI, we’re talking about the specific strains of the virus that are transmitted during oral, anal, and genital sex. The strains of HPV that are sexually transmitted only cause infection in mucus membranes – like in the mouth and throat, rectum, genitals, and urethra. So, having common warts on your hand or plantar warts on your feet is not the same as having sexually transmitted HPV.

HPV causes a localized infection, so if one part of your body is infected with HPV, that does not mean you have HPV in other parts of your body. In other words, having HPV in your foot does not automatically mean you have HPV in the parts of your body that could transmit the strains that are considered STIs.