Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) and Genital Warts
What are Genital Warts?
The warts located near or in the genital areas are known as Genital Warts, sometimes called venereal warts or condylomata acuminata. As the name suggests itself, genital warts affect the moist tissues of the genital area. Genital warts occur on or near the vulva (the outer genital area), vagina, cervix, or anus in the females and in the males it appears near or on the penis, scrotum, or anus. Genital warts may be very small, or they may multiply into large clusters. The warts appear as humps or growth. The warts can be flat or raised, single or many, small or large, of different shapes and sizes. They are not always visible to the naked eye. Sometimes they are small, flat, flesh-colored bumps or tiny, cauliflower-like bumps. Most of the time a person is ignorant about its infection and don’t know that they are there. They can lead to cervix cancer in the women or cancer of the penis in men. It has also been associated with other types of genital cancers.
A group of viruses called human papillomavirus, in short HPV is found to be responsible factor for causing Genital warts. More than 100 types of HPV virus are known till now. Not all of them cause genital warts. Only a few of them causes the disease. Some of the HPV viruses cause the regular kind of warts that people sees the hands and feet. These viruses which cause the common warts are usually different from those types of viruses that cause genital warts.
 What are Genital Warts?
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There are more than thirty types of HPV virus that causes genital warts. Genital warts can spread from person to person by sexual contact; let it be vaginal, oral, or anal sex. There are instances where genital warts are spread from a mother to her baby during childbirth, but these cases are very rare. You can’t get infected with genital warts from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
HPV virus infections are more commonly seen in teens and young adults. About one out of every two person among the teens can be infected with Genital warts. The disease usually hits the young people in their twenty’s. People who are sexually very active are at a great risk of having an HPV infection and are more like to spread the infection to their partner(s). Once infected with HPV viral infection, the warts can appear within several weeks or months afterwards.
