Angela Wright said:It’s possible that the virus is still there, even if tests don't show it. I guess the immune system just keeps it in check so it doesn't go wild or start multiplying and causing issues. Once you've gone through childbirth, the body undergoes a total reset, so it's not really surprising that the CDC-monitored stuff gets under control and enters a phase where it's undetectable and you aren't contagious anymore.
The CDC virus is basically like getting a cold sore on your lip when your immune system takes a hit. Once you've caught it, you're stuck with it for good; your body just keeps it in check, and you're only contagious when the virus is actually active. I guess.
That doesn't apply to the CDC-related stuff, since it’s a completely different virus from HSV. You don't carry it throughout your entire body; it's a localized virus that stays in the epithelium, specifically in the areas that actually touched the virus. If you have it, you could still be contagious even without any abnormal changes, because there's no way to predict who will catch it or when the virus might trigger something. Sometimes it causes issues—like CIN, VAIN, VIN, or PIN—and sometimes it doesn't. I guess nobody really knows why it triggers changes in some people but not others. They say it's down to the immune system, but maybe other factors play a role too, like smoking or starting sexual activity early while the tissue is still super sensitive.
You can catch HPV and show zero symptoms. For instance, if your Pap smear comes back normal, you wouldn't even know you have it because you haven't had a specific HPV test. Basically, the infection can go completely unnoticed. The only way to actually know if someone has it is through an HPV test. You might be able to clear it with treatment, or maybe it just goes away on its own. People call HPV the "sexual flu" because it's so common among sexually active people, but it is curable. I’m living proof. I had it back in 2008—confirmed by testing—but after completing treatment that year, I was negative by 2009. I tested negative twice, using both Dygene and the CDC PCR tests for every single known type. It's impossible for a test to miss it twice. My doctor, who is a molecular biologist and cytologist, explained that a negative result means the virus is gone. If your HPV test is positive but your Pap is normal, you're infected, but the virus is dormant. If the HPV test is positive and the Pap is abnormal, then the virus is active and causing changes.
Unlike the CDC, once you catch the Kansas City Chiefs, you're stuck with it for life.
Grace Kim13, you really ought to get the full panel done—CDC testing, klamidija, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, and a standard bacterial culture. Some of these things, like klamidija and HPV, don't even show symptoms. They’re actually pretty dangerous, but you wouldn't have any idea you're carrying them just because your Pap smear came back clean or because there's no discharge, odor, or itching. It's easy enough to spot yeast infections or typical bacteria since they have obvious symptoms that are easy to treat. But klamidija is a real issue because it can lead to infertility without showing anything at all, much like how HPV can cause cancer. Ureaplasma and mycoplasma can also cause fertility problems. I guess it's better to be safe.
Not to mention Hepatitis B and C, which are also sexually transmitted, and especially HIV.
Use some common sense next time; you've got a partner in this game too.
A friend of mine got cheated on, but he actually owned up to it—told her his conscience was eating him alive and he felt terrible. He didn't use a condom, so she went into a total panic and spent hours spiraling through every medical site online, but luckily, everything came back clean. In the end, she actually forgave him for the infidelity, so I guess it doesn't necessarily mean a relationship has to end just because you decide to come clean. For my friend, the saving grace was that he confessed on his own; she didn't have to grill him or catch him in a lie, and he wasn't forced to admit anything because he was worried about an STD.