HPV & Genital Warts

Overview

Genital warts, or the human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted disease and infects the skin and the mucous membranes. There are more than 100 different types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that can affect the genital areas of your body. HPV, or genital warts, can affect the skin of the penis, the vulva and the anus, as well as the linings of the cervix, the vagina and the rectum. You cannot see this disease, so most people who have become infected with human papillomavirus do not even realize that they have it.

Types

There are actually more than 100 different types of HPV that you can contract. Some of these HPVs may result in cancer while many of them are harmless. These high risk types enter your body through sexual contact with an infected partner and affect the genitals. Most of them do not offer any signs of symptoms, so without a blood test or other exams, it can be difficult for you to determine which strain of HPV you have, or whether you have the human papillomavirus or not.

Symptoms

Most people who have the human papillomavirus develop warts or group of bumps around the genital area. This includes the penis, urethra, scrotum and rectal areas in men and the labia, meniora and vaginal opening areas in women. In many cases, your body's immune system clears them automatically within two years. Another symptom for HPV is actually cervical cancer along with other types of less common cancer, such as penis, anus, vulva or vagina cancer. Those cancer causing types do not show a symptom until it is quite advanced.

Causes/Risk Factors

Both men and women are equally affected with this infection. Genital warts, or genital HPV, are passed on through contact with genitals, most often during anal sex or vaginal sex. You can potentially have HPV even if several years have passed since having sex. If you are infected with HPV, you may not even realize the infection and this allows you to pass the virus on to your sex partners without your knowledge. You have many chances of getting affected by this disease at different points in your life.

Tests/Diagnosis

Some people who have HPV are completely unaware of it, because many forms of HPV do not have any outward physical symptoms. A blood test or other screening is required with the help of a physician in order to determine whether or not you have the virus. There are forms of HPV, however, that have outward symptoms, including vaginal warts or warts around the penis or anus depending on how the virus was transmitted. Additionally, pregnant women with HPV may be able to pass the virus on to their children during childbirth. There is also an HPV test that is available on the market so that your HPV status can be tested at home. For most people, HPV does eventually go away on its own. HPV and cervical cancer have been linked together in the past, as the virus can cause the cancer.

Treatment

The diseases that HPV can cause can be treated using patient applied medications for visibly seen warts. These can be removed by a treatment performed by a health care provider. There are also treatments intended for cervical cancer if they are diagnosed at earlier stage. Sometimes you need to undergo a surgery or radiation therapy for treating the viruses causing cancer.