While most HPV infections clear on their own, some HPV infections can live in the body for a long time, and often do not cause any symptoms. It is very possible for someone to have HPV for years (10, 20, even more) and never know it, and so you may have gotten HPV from a past sexual partner. HPV is extremely common, and most people who have been with two or more sexual partners in a lifetime have been exposed to the virus. Currently there are no HPV tests for men, and so there is no way to know if your boyfriend has it. There is an excellent vaccine that protects against 9 of the most common strains of HPV -including 4 high-risk strains and 5 strains that can cause warts. Its recommended that all men and women <26 receive this vaccine, and its approved by the FDA up to age 45. If you or your boyfriend have not already been vaccinated, you should talk to your providers about getting vaccinated.