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Genital Warts

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The warts are soft, moist, pink or flesh-colored bumps. You can have one or many of these bumps. In women, the warts usually occur in or around the vagina, on the cervix or around the anus. In men, genital warts are less common but might occur on the tip of the penis.

You can get genital warts during oral, vaginal or anal sex with an infected partner. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading HPV.

The warts might disappear on their own. If not, your health care provider can treat or remove them. The virus stays in your body even after treatment, so warts can come back.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Genital Wart on Wikipedia

'''Genital warts''' (or '''condyloma''') is a very contagious sexually transmitted disease. Caused by some variants of the Human papillomavirus, typically HPV 6 and HPV 11, it is spread during oral sex, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. About two-thirds of people who have sexual contact with a partner with genital warts will develop warts, usually within three months of contact. In women, the warts occur on the outside and inside of the vagina, on the opening (cervix) to the womb (uterus), or around the anus. While genital warts are approximately as prevalent in men, the symptoms of the disease may be less obvious. When present, they usually are seen on the tip of the penis. They also may be found on the shaft of the penis, on the scrotum, or around the anus. Rarely, genital warts also can develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person. Genital warts often occur in clusters and can be very tiny or can spread into large masses in the genital or anal area.

Diagnosis

A doctor or other health care worker usually can diagnose genital warts by seeing them on a patient. The doctor may be able to identify some otherwise invisible warts in the genital tissue by applying vinegar (acetic acid) to areas of suspected infection. This solution causes infected areas to whiten, which makes them more visible, particularly if a procedure called colposcopy is performed. During colposcopy, the doctor uses a magnifying instrument to look at the vagina and cervix. In some cases, the doctor takes a small piece of tissue from the cervix and examines it under the microscope. Women with genital warts may also be examined for possible HPV infection of the cervix. There is evidence that infection by the HPV virus is a cause of cervical cancer, but the types of HPV that cause visible genital warts (types 6 and 11) are distinct from those that tend to cause cervical ...   [ Read More ]


External Resources

SkinChoice.com - Provides products for genital warts, herpes, acne, and other dermatological and sexually transmitted conditions.

Mayo Clinic: Reproductive Diseases and Disorders - Signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. Diseases covered include AIDS, chlamydia infection, genital warts (HPV), gonorrhea, hepatitis B and syphilis.

Genital Warts Online - Ranks treatments for genital warts, venereal warts, and condylomas. Also ranks surgical procedures, medicines, and all other treatments including herbal.

Genital Warts - By Delilah Levine. [Oxygen] Advice about HPV and options for treatment.

HPV FAQ - Forum for questions and answers regarding HPV and genital warts.

The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy: Genital Warts - Lists symptoms and signs, diagnosis, and treatment of warts.

Mamashealth.com: Genital Warts - Brief description of warts, how they spread, diagnosis, and treatment.

Genital Warts - Information from the San Francisco Department of Public Health about how they are spread, treatment, prevention, and risk factors.

Human Papillomavirus and Genital Warts - Information from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases about the virus and how it relates to genital warts, including diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and complications.

eMedicine Health - Consumer health resource center providing an overview of genital warts and their causes, symptoms, and treatment.


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