Can a virgin be infected with HPV?

HPV virus is a disease related to cervical cancer in women. There are still differences of opinion in medicine about this virus. The virus has a wide range of transmission routes, including intimate and indirect transmission, and the site of infection is relatively private, involving the female genitals and the male testicles. We all know that women's vaginas have hymens, which can prevent bacteria from entering the vagina. So can virgins be infected with HPV?

HPV is divided into high-risk and low-risk types. Persistent high-risk virus infection is the most important pathogenic factor leading to cervical squamous cell carcinoma and its precancerous lesions. Almost all (>99.9%) lesions are infected with high-risk viruses.

The majority of oropharyngeal tumors (63%) and nearly all anal cancers are also associated with persistent infection with high-risk HPV. The specific types of high-risk HPV are still controversial. Some people believe that there are as many as 16 types. The WHO has identified 13 of them as having the greatest carcinogenic potential: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68.

The currently confirmed transmission methods are direct contact from mucosa to skin and mucosa to mucosa, including vaginal, anal and oral sexual intercourse. There is limited evidence as to whether HPV can be transmitted through other means, so we cannot lie with our eyes open. Compared to pathogens with lower transmission rates, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), HPV is highly contagious.

Any factor related to sexual activity is a high-risk factor for genital HPV infection, including young age at the beginning of sexual life, number of sexual partners, recent changes in sexual partners, and sexual life with other sexual partners (including male and female). Smoking, multiple sexual partners, and early sexual debut increase the risk of HPV infection.

Can women who do not have sexual activity get infected with HPV?

It can be said that the probability of genital HPV infection in virgins is very low.

So my answer to the reader Haifeng's question is as follows: When you are still a virgin, the chance of genital HPV infection is very low, because the currently confirmed mode of transmission is direct contact from mucosa to skin and mucosa to mucosa, including vaginal, anal and oral sexual intercourse. If the girl you live with only has general contact with you, then even if she is infected with HPV, it is almost impossible for her to transmit it to you.

When you have sex, you are likely to be infected with HPV. The transmission rate from male to female is as high as 0.4 to 0.8 per sexual intercourse. The probability that each male sexual partner transmits HPV16 to a female is 60% to 80%. Although smoking, multiple sexual partners and early sexual debut increase the risk of HPV infection, there is no evidence that having one sexual partner will not transmit HPV, even if your sexual partner is a regular sexual partner.

Of course, we can also see from this that HPV infection is not an indicator of whether a sexual partner is loyal, so you should not label yourself or your boyfriend as "morally corrupt" or "unfaithful."