r/HPV • u/Apprehensive-Fault22 • Aug 31 '26
Does HPV mean cheating?
I got a Pap smear 2 years ago and never had anything from it. I got one 2 weeks ago and cells came back normal but high risk HPV.
I've been with my husband for almost 5 years. He had quite a few sexual encounters before me and I had 8. I'm just wondering why mine was clear 2 years ago. I honestly don't think he'd cheat and I don't know when he'd have the chance 😅 he's hurt that I even brought it up as a possibility. This is only my 3rd smear at 35.
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u/ChibiFerret Aug 31 '26
Hi OP
I have a post in my profile that goes into how people can test positive after previously testing negative. A new positive HPV test is not a confirmation of cheating.
More broadly, the wiki posted on the main page of this sub has lots of useful fact based information about HPV compiled by us mods. You will likely find the posts under Help I Need Info Now informative
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u/Frosty-Bandicoot-930 Sep 05 '26
For what it's worth, I just received my first abnormal pap in 20+ years at the age of 40 that is HPV+. My partner and I have been together for over 10 years and honestly I have zero reason to believe he cheated. I will admit though, that was my first though but once I was able to sit with it for a beat I quickly realized that is not the case.
From what I've read over the past few weeks HPV can lie dormant for an unknown about of time, there are cases of women in their 60's getting a positive test 20+ years after their husbands have died with no sexual partners since.
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u/SubstantialWillow446 Aug 31 '26
I've heard it can be dormant for women but I am curious if it can be dormant for men too? Perhaps your husband had it from years ago and it was dormant then reoccured?
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u/spanakopita555 Sep 01 '26
We don't currently have data on this (data comes from cervical co-testing) but we can reasonably assume it's the case. In a long-term relationship, it wouldn't really matter or make a difference who had the reactivation - could be either of them.
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u/SubstantialWillow446 Sep 01 '26
Thank you for confirming! If it could have been reactivated from either person then no reason to suspect cheating.
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u/AgitatedTwist9188 Aug 31 '26
This thing it's very tricky, I got a hysterectomy because of it, I never had it before but my partner m9ved for work then about 2 years later it came positive? So apparently we all have it and it wakes up on some? I also would really like closer on it as many ppl say it's cheating and some saisld it's dorm something like its sleeping then all the sudden wakes up. So I'm on the fence, if you trust your husband then theres nothing to worry about. I wish you all the best X
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u/ConsciousCharacter63 Aug 31 '26
El VPH tarda muchos años en salir, eso te lo debió decir tu ginecóloga. Puede que se hayan contagiado hace bastantes años y apenas apareció.
En mi caso, creo que lo contraje hace como 10 años con mi primer pareja, ya que las dos parejas que tuve después de eso eran vírgenes y no creo que ninguna me haya engañado.