HPV is passed from one person to another during skin-to-skin sexual contact, including oral sex. In a recent study, 46 percent of females got HPV before ever having vaginal intercourse. You cannot get HPV from toilet seats, hugging or holding hands, swimming in pools or hot tubs, or sharing food or utensils.
Can you get HPV or other STDs from being in a hot tub? Not unless you're having sex. STDs are passed by direct bodily contact.
Several studies have emphasized the possibility of infection through the amniotic fluid, or the placenta, or via contact with maternal genital mucosa during natural birth. Waterborne transmission of HPV has never been demonstrated; however, HPV DNA has been detected in water environments.
You can be infected with HPV without being sexually active – as HPV spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact, it is possible to be infected with HPV without having sex. Prolonged contact with infected skin, such as holding hands, may cause transmission of the virus.
Since this foot condition can be spread through contact due to HPV, there is a possibility that warts can be spread through an infected person's contact with bed sheets.
While HPV is susceptible to certain disinfectants, including hypochlorite and peracetic acid, it is resistant to alcohol-based disinfectants.
HPV is resistant to heat and drying, and is able to survive on inanimate objects, such as clothing and laboratory equipment, that have come into contact with infected patients. The precise survival time is unknown, however. HPV has been shown to retain infectivity even after dehydration for 7 days (Roden et al., 1997).
While sexual intercourse is the primary means of transmission, genital-to-genital interactions, oral-to-genital interactions, or deep (French) kissing can also spread the virus.
Typically, the HPV types that cause genital warts survive just two to three hours outside the human body, he said, adding that if the virus is in a warm and humid environment, it can survive more than a day. If someone then makes skin contact with a contaminated surface, they could be infected, he said.
Some strains of HPV are acquired through sexual contact. Most forms, however, are spread by casual contact or indirectly through shared objects, such as towels or washcloths.
Remember: You can get or give warts even when both of you have no signs or symptoms. HPV cannot be spread by touching hard surfaces, like a doorknob or toilet seat. It also cannot be passed by sharing clothes or towels.
The answer is “no.” Dr. Rebecca A. Gray says “HPV is sexually transmitted. Causal contact, including sharing towels or taking baths does not transmit HPV.” (See healthtap.com) (1).
Interpretation: Clinicians can reassure their patients that HPV transmission is unlikely to occur through hand-to-genital contact. The majority of genital HPV infections are likely caused by genital-to-genital sexual transmission.
HPV is not spread by casual contact, such as hugging, shaking hands, sneezing or coughing. HPV is also not spread through air, food or water.
You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex. A person with HPV can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.
Should a person stop dating if they have HPV? A person can continue to date if they have HPV. If people know they have HPV, they may want to date a person for a while before engaging in sexual activity. This can give people the chance to get to know one another better before discussing HPV.
You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It most commonly spreads during anal or vaginal sex. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex. HPV can spread even when a person with the infection has no signs or symptoms.
HPV is spread through oral sex. If your partner is infected with genital HPV and you perform oral sex, you risk getting HPV. Having oral sex with many partners increases your risk for oral HPV. How Can I Prevent Oral HPV?
Your skin usually burns above about 115°F (46.1°C). Exposing a wart to heat (hyperthermia) above 110°F but below 115°F will kill the virus without hurting your skin.
There is no sure way to know when you got HPV or who gave it to you. A person can have HPV for many years before it is detected.
Important facts about HPV: HPV infection spreads from one person to another through sexual contact involving the anus, mouth, or vagina. The virus can be spread, even if you DO NOT see the warts. You may not see warts for 6 weeks to 6 months after becoming infected.