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GENITAL WARTS (HPV)
Genital warts are a sign of infection with particular strains of
the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
| What
is it? |
HPV
is a virus that is very prevalent virus in the United States,
but not all cases of HPV pose a sexual threat. More than 100
types of HPV have been identified, only 30 of which are spread
via sexual contact. An HPV infection can be one of the following
types:
-
A harmless strain of HPV.
- A
type of HPV that causes warts on other parts of the body,
such as the hands and feet, but not on the genital area.
- Sexually
transmissible HPV that does not cause warts, which has been
linked with serious health problems for both men and women,
including increased risk of genital cancers.
- Sexually
transmissible HPV that causes warts, which can be an inconvenience,
but are not usually connected to serious risks like cancer.
|
| Prevention |
Genital
warts are extremely contagious. They are spread through skin-to-skin
contact during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with an infected
partner. Look closely at your partner’s genitals for
signs of this and other sexually transmitted infections before
engaging in sexual contact, being aware that some warts are
too small to see with the naked eye. Refrain from sexual contact
if there are ANY warts in your partner’s the genital
area, as even very small warts can put you at high risk.
While
condoms have not
been confirmed to decrease the spread of HPV, they do decrease
the occurrence of complications associated with the virus,
including genital cancers and warts. Since many people who
are infected with sexually transmissible HPV experience no
symptoms, always use a condom. Limiting your number of sexual
partners can help decrease your risk as well.
|
| Symptoms |
| Genital
warts are bumps or growths that can vary in appearance. They
can be large or small, raised or flat, singular or clustered
together, and are usually white or flesh-colored. Burning
or itching is not associated with genital warts.
Women:
the warts can grow inside and/or outside the female anatomy,
appearing on the vulva, inner or outer vagina, cervix, anus
or uterus. They can also appear in the area between the inner
thigh and genital region.
Men
with these strains of HPV may find warts on the tip or shaft
of the penis, the scrotum, or around the anus. |
| Treatment |
|
If
you suspect that you may have genital warts or any other sexually
transmitted infection, call Student
Health for an immediate appointment at (215) 662-2853.
Genital warts can be treated, but there is no cure
for HPV, the virus that causes the warts to appear. Consequently,
the virus remains in the body and can cause recurrent problems
with genital warts. Treatments for genital warts range from
creams applied at home to in-office procedures like Cryotherapy,
which is the process of freezing off the warts with liquid
nitrogen. Even after the warts have been treated, transmission
to others is still possible.
|
“HPV:
Get the Facts,” American Social Health Association National
HPV and Cervical Cancer Prevention Resource Center Website. 2001.
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