Scarleteen

I had a question regarding std’s. If both people were virgins when they had sex, and by virgins I mean no previous physical contact, and it’s certain that this person is saying the truth (all std tests were negative)
Then if they have sex can they get High risk HPV? I had sex and I heard that once you do, you can’t take the vaccine anymore which I didn’t before. But is it possible to be infected if the person I had sex with had nothing? Or does hpv only occur when someone is infected with it?

Hi Tassha,

There are a few different things to address in this question. First of all, if the person who you had sex with didn't have HPV, then you couldn't have gotten HPV from them. You can read more about how HPV is and is not spread here: The STI Files: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

That being said, it's important to know that HPV is not routinely tested for because almost everyone who is sexually active has HPV and HPV infection usually resolves on its own. What people do get screened for regularly is signs of cancer caused by high-risk types of HPV. So, unless someone was told by their healthcare provider that they were being screened for HPV, it might not have been included in whatever other STI testing had been done.

While it's recommended that someone get the vaccine prior to becoming sexually active, you can still get it once you become sexually active, as it will still protect you from strains you haven't yet been exposed to. Does that all make sense?