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Genital warts are created by the human papillomavirus (also called the HPV), which is contracted through sexual intercourse. Amazingly, there are over 100 different types of warts with the genital variety representing a particular type of these. Out of these 100 identified strains, over 30 types of these are the genital wart. Genital warts are extremely contagious and infection can be spread during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected person. It is estimated that about two-thirds of people who have unprotected sex with someone who is infected will develop genital warts, typically within three months. Genital warts often occur in clusters and can be very tiny or can spread into large masses in the genital or anal area. In women, they can occur on either the outside and inside of the vagina, on the opening (cervix) to the womb (uterus), or around the anus. In men, genital warts are less common. For them, the warts usually occur on the tip of the penis, but can be found on the shaft of the penis, the scrotum, or around the anus. Although rare, they can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person. The Skinny on Genital Warts diagnosisA doctor usually can diagnose genital warts by a simple examination of a patient. It is a good idea for infected women to also be examined for potential HPV infection of the cervix.
It is also a good idea for women to have their doctors conduct a Pap smear test to check for the presence of cervical HPV infection. In a Pap smear, a lab tech will examine cells scraped from the cervix under a microscope to determine if they are cancerous. The good news is that most HPV infections do not become cervical cancer. If a woman does suspect that she has abnormal cervical cells, a Pap test will find them. It is very critical for women that do have abnormal cervical cells to have regular pelvic exams and Pap tests so that early treatment can be applied. _________________________________________________________________________
The only effective way to prevent genital wart infections is to avoid direct contact with the virus. If you or your sexual partner have genital warts, sexual contact should be avoided until treatment is administered. To date, studies have not indicated that male condoms will prevent transmission of HPV, but results do indicate that condom use may reduce the risk of transmission.
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Genital
Warts
Doctor are sometimes
able to identify otherwise invisible genital warts in the genital tissue
by applying vinegar (acetic acid) to suspected areas of infection.
The solution will cause the infected areas to whiten, which will make them
more visible, particularly if a procedure called colposcopy is performed.