It also depends on other illnesses, which the patient may have and is impacted by whether or not the patient is being treated with the current antiviral medications. In general, many people infected with HIV may not develop AIDS for 8-10 years from the time they were first infected, and this period can be extended if they receive the proper care. Several of the strains of the HPV virus do not cause visible genital warts, and even those that do cause visible warts may be present but not be causing warts at the moment. With sexually active women, the strains of HPV that have been most strongly associated with cervical cancer do not seem to cause visible genital warts. For this reason, any sexually active woman should be sure to get annual pelvic exams that include a Pap smear.
Early diagnosis can then lead to treatment well before any cancer develops.
At one time I broke out in a rash and itch all in my vaginal area. It spread to my boyfriend and went away after two weeks or so. It hasn't showed up again in almost a year. Yes, it could be, and I would recommend both you and your boyfriend be tested for STDs if you have not been already. Certainly there could be other causes as well for rashes in the genital area, for instance, an irritation to a specific brand of condom or to a lubricant you may have been using.