Genital WARTS.

Genital warts are one of the most common types of sexually transmitted infections. At least half of all sexually active people will become infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts, at some point during their lives. Women are somewhat more likely than men to develop genital warts.

As the name suggests, genital warts affect the moist tissue of the genital area, such as penis, vagina, urethra, anus, vulva, and cervix. Genital warts may look like small, flesh-colored bumps or have a cauliflower-like appearance. In many cases, the warts are too small to be visible.

Like warts that appear elsewhere on your body, genital warts are caused by the HPV. Some strains of genital HPV can cause genital warts, while others can cause cancer. Vaccines can help protect against certain strains of genital HPV(Mayo Clinic).

Genital warts are usually asymptomatic, but depending on the size and anatomic location, they can be painful or pruritic.

Diagnosis of genital warts is usually clinical, made by visual inspection. Genital warts can

The primary reasons for treating genital warts is the amelioration of symptoms (including relieving cosmetic concerns) and ultimately, removal of the warts.

Treatment of genital warts should be guided by the preference of the patient, available resources, and the experience of the health-care provider. Factors that influence selection of treatment include wart size, wart number, anatomic site of the wart, wart morphology, patient preference, cost of treatment, convenience, adverse effects, and provider experience.

• Genital HPV infection is very common. Many types of HPV are passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sexual contact. HPV can also be spread by oral sexual contact.
• Most sexually active adults will get HPV at some point in their lives, though most will never know it because HPV infection usually has no signs or symptoms.
• In most cases, HPV infections clears spontaneously, without causing any health problems. Nevertheless, some infections do progress to genital warts, precancers, and cancers.
• The types of HPV that cause genital warts are different from the types that can cause anogeital cancers.
• within an ongoing sexual relationship, both partners are usually infected at the time one person is diagnosed with HPV infection, even though signs of infection might not be apparent.
• A diagnosis of HPV in one sex partner is not indicative of sexual infidelity in the other partner.
• Treatments are available for the conditions caused by the HPv (e.g., genital warts), but not for the virus itself.
• HPV does not affect a woman's fertility or ability to carry a pregnancy to term.
• Correct and consistenet male condom use might lower the chances of giving or getting genital HPV, but such is not fully protective, because HPV can infect areas that are not covered by the a condom.
• sexually active persons can lower their chances of getting HPV by limiting their number of partners. However, HPV is common and goes unrecognized; persons with only one lifetime sex partner can have the infection. For this reason, the only definitive method to avoid giving and getting HPV infection and genital warts is to abstain from sexual activity.

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