Can You Get HPV From Kissing, Oral Sex or Without Sex?

Finding out you have HPV can bring up a lot of questions about where it came from, especially if you haven’t had much sexual contact. The short version: HPV spreads more easily than most people think, and it doesn’t always show up right away.

Can you get HPV without having sex?

Yes. The CDC says HPV is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. The NHS says many types of HPV that affect the mouth, throat or genital area are easy to catch and that you do not need to have penetrative sex. You can get HPV from:

• any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
• vaginal, anal or oral sex
• sharing sex toys

The CDC also says HPV spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex, and that it is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex.

Can you get HPV from kissing?

Oral HPV, which is an HPV infection in the mouth or throat, is thought to spread mainly through oral sex and deep tongue kissing, according to MedlinePlus. It also says oral HPV usually has no symptoms and can’t be detected by a test.

The health sources we checked don’t describe closed-mouth kissing or a quick peck as a way HPV spreads. Most oral HPV infections go away on their own within two years without causing problems.

Can you get HPV from oral sex?

Yes. The CDC says you can get HPV by having oral sex with someone who has the virus, even if they have no signs or symptoms. Using condoms and dental dams may help, but MedlinePlus notes they can’t fully protect you, because the virus can be on nearby skin.

How can I have HPV if I have only had one partner, or none?

The CDC says that if you are sexually active, you can get HPV even if you have had sex with only one person. The NHS adds that you can get HPV the first time you have sex, and that you can have it even if you haven’t been sexually active or had a new partner for many years.

HPV often has no symptoms, so you may not know you have it. The CDC says you can also develop symptoms years after having sex with someone who has the infection. That makes it very hard to say when or from whom you got HPV, and a result alone doesn’t tell you. It isn’t proof of when you got it, or of anything you did wrong.

Can HPV be passed in other ways?

The routes the sources describe are skin-to-skin genital contact, vaginal, anal and oral sex, deep kissing for oral HPV, and sharing sex toys. We could not find an approved health source describing other everyday routes such as toilet seats, so we have not included any.

The CDC does note one rare exception: the HPV types 6 and 11 can cause a condition called respiratory papillomatosis in infants and children, and how it happens (before birth, during birth or afterwards) isn’t completely understood. The CDC describes the risk as low. You can read more in our page on HPV and pregnancy.

Does it matter whether it’s a man or a woman who has HPV?

No. Anyone with HPV can pass it on, and it spreads through the same kinds of contact between any partners. The CDC says a person with HPV can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.

What can I do about it?

• Get vaccinated. The CDC says the HPV vaccine is safe and effective and can protect against diseases, including cancers, caused by HPV. It is most effective before exposure to the virus. If you are over 26 and haven’t been vaccinated, MedlinePlus suggests asking your provider about the possible benefits.
• Use condoms. They can lower your chances of getting HPV, though HPV can infect areas the condom does not cover.
• Get screened. If you have a cervix, routine cervical screening can find cell changes early.
• Watch for changes. See a clinician about warts, lumps, unusual growths or sores.

Most HPV infections (9 out of 10) go away on their own within two years, according to the CDC. To learn more about what happens next, read can HPV be cured or go away.