What are they?

Genital warts are a very common sexually transmitted infection caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and can be external as well as internal.  They are small flesh-coloured bumps or  ‘cauliflower-type’ bumps that can sometimes be so small you can’t actually see them.

They can appear individually or in clusters and can sometimes lead to cervical cancer in women unless treated. In men, they may appear on the penis, around the anus or between the scrotum and the penis.

In women, the warts may appear on the vulva, in the vagina, the cervix (opening to uterus or womb) and anus.  They are painless but may cause discomfort because of their location or because of itching

How are they transmitted?

They are very contagious and passed from one person to another through sexual contact.  It is also possible to contract the virus through skin contact with an infected person.  However, the virus cannot be contracted through sharing towels, crockery or cutlery or a toilet seat.

Warts may not appear for at least 3 – 6 weeks and in some cases only after several months or even years. Women may never see the warts as they could be on the cervix surface, inside the body.

Even after treatment for the genital warts, it is possible to still infect others. It is important to note that the HP virus that causes skin warts on hands or feet is not the same virus that causes genital warts.

Prevention

Complete abstinence is the only way to prevent contracting genital warts.  Alternatively, you can limit the chances of getting the virus by having only one sexual partner who has been tested and found to be disease-free.

Condoms may also be used by both males and females to reduce the risk of contracting the virus but they cannot fully protect you as the wart virus can be on the skin too.  Condoms should nevertheless be used at all times.

Unfortunately the virus may be passed between persons even when there are no symptoms or visible warts.

How are they diagnosed?

A doctor can determine whether a patient is infected with genital warts through an examination.    In women, growths on the cervix or vaginal walls may be revealed during a pelvic examination.  Women should also undergo a pap test to determine if there are changes on the cervix caused by the presence of genital warts.

Genital Warts and Pregnancy

Genital warts may lead to several problems during pregnancy.  Firstly they can grow larger making urinating difficult.

Secondly, should the warts be in the vagina, they can cause an obstruction during the delivery of the baby.

In very rare cases, babies born to women with warts develop the warts in their throats requiring laser surgery to remove them preventing a possible life-threatening condition for the baby from obstruction of the respiratory system.

Treatment

Genital warts may be removed but there is no cure for the viral infection.  Over-the-counter remedies for other wart types may be used externally only.  One good product for this is Wartrol.  It is best to let your doctor prescribe a medication.

In some cases surgical treatment may be necessary and include surgery to cut them out, laser therapy, electro-cauterization (heat-treatment to burn them off) or cryosurgery (freezing them off).  A drug may sometimes be injected directly into the wart as well.

A vaccine is available to protect against 4 of the HP virus types that cause women to contract cervical cancer. A course of three shots will be needed and is highly recommended for females aged 9 – 26 years old. Note that this vaccine is only available for women.