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Genital Warts(venereal warts, condyloma, condylomata acuminata)
Definition & Overview:
 Genital warts is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease caused by thehuman papillomavirus (HPV) during vaginal, oral or anal sex. There are over 75different strains of the HPV virus but only 10 of them are responsible for causinggenital warts.Also known as
venereal warts, condyloma, condylomata acuminata,
genitalwarts appear as small white, pink, red, or flesh-colored bumps that range in sizefrom unnoticable, to single lesions to clusters similar in appearance to a cauliflower.In men, genital warts can grow on the penis, near the anus, between the anus andscrotum. In women, genital warts may grown on the vulva, perineum, in the vaginaand on the cervix. Genital warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a personwho has oral sex with someone infected with HPV causing virus. Genital warts is aleading cause of cervical cancer in women and can cause penile cancer in men.
Causes:
Genital warts are caused by the HPV virus. Although there are more than 75 strainsof the virus, 2 strains (HPV 6 and HPV 11) are responsible for 90 percent of thecases of genital warts. Approximately 8 more strains can cause genital warts andALSO have a higher potential for causing cancer. Strains HPV 16, 18, 31 and 45together account for 80 percent of cervical and genital cancers.Approximately 2 out of 3 of the people who have sexual contact with a personinfected with the HPV virus ALSO become infected with the HPV virus."The viral particles are able to penetrate the skin and mucosal surfaces throughmicroscopic abrasions in the genital area, which occur during sexual activity. Oncecells are invaded by HPV, a latency (quiet) period of months to years may occur."The latency period just means the HPV virus is in an incubation period. Having sexwith a partner whose HPV infection is in the incubation period still leaves youvulnerable to becoming infected yourself. In other words, just because one can'tsee the genital warts, doesn't mean they are not there. The incubation period canlast from 3 months to 2 years.Common warts (that usually appear on the hands) are caused by different strains of the HPV virus and are not the same as genital warts.
Symptoms:
 
Genital warts are generally painless, but are a nuisance due to their location, sizeand itching/irritation.When genital warts grow from their incubation period, they often start out as small,gray, pink, red or white swellings in the genital area. The often begin as singlelesions approximately 1 to 2 mm in size, but if left untreated, can rapidly grow inclusters which when form together, can be large and appear similar to a cauliflowerhead.Besides itching, genital warts can cause pain during intercourse and in some cases,bleeding.
Tests & Diagnosis
Genital warts are often diagnosed through an examination by a doctor. However, insome cases, genital warts are only detectable through tests and techniques whichinclude:
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Lesions are visibly enhanced with the application of a chemical called aceticacid solution which causes them to become white for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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A pap test for women can detect changes to the cervix which may occur as aresult of the HPV virus.
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Magnification, also called colposcopy, may be used to see lesions that are notvisible to the eye.
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Pelvic examination for women.
Treatment
Genital warts can be removed, however the HPV virus that causes genital warts cannot be cured. The virus continues to live inside your skin and may cause the wartsto return. Genital warts may need to be removed more than once.Removal methods of genital warts include:
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Cryotherapy: A process that uses liquid nitrogen to "freeze off" the warts.
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Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) involves a sharp instrument,shaped like a loop, which is passed underneath the wart and then used to cutit out from the skin.
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Laser treatment to physically destroy the lesion.
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Electric current to physically destroy the lesions.Besides physical removal, your doctor may prescribe certain topical medicationsthat are applied to the skin to treat the virus. As outlined by eMedicineHealth, theseinclude:
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Podophyllum resin (Pod-Ben-25, Podofin)
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Podofilox (Condylox) - Can be topically applied at home, higher cure ratesthan Podophyllum resin, useful for prevention
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Trichloroacetic acid – Topically applied, response is often incomplete andrecurrence is higher, may cause pain and burning
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5-Fluorouracil (Efudex) – Applied as a cream, long treatment time, can causeburning and irritation, many side effects
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Interferon alpha-n3 (Alferon N) – Used as an injection for warts that do notrespond to other therapies, many side effects
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Imiquimod (Aldara) – New treatment, applied as a cream, local skin irritationis a common side effect.
 
Genital warts MUST be treated by a doctor. Over the counter topical medications forother types of warts must never be used.
Prevention
Since no treatment for genital warts is 100 percent effective, prevention should bea top concern whether you are infected with the HPV virus or not.Condoms do not offer iron-clad protection against genital warts since the infectedspot may not be covered by a condom."Skin near the warts and around thegenitals, anus, and other areas can pass the virus from one person to the next.Therefore, male and female condoms cannot fully protect you...Nonetheless,condoms should still be used. They reduce your chances of getting or spreadingSTDs."Abstinence and monogamous sex with partner not infected with the HPV virus is thebest method for prevention.A new vaccine known asGardasiloffers protection from the most dangerous typesof HPV. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine in June2006. The national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendsroutine vaccination for girls age 11 and 12, as well as girls and women ages 13 to26 if they haven't received the vaccine already. The vaccine is most effective if given to girls before they become sexually active.
Complications
In worst cases, the HPV virus can lead to cancer of the cervix. Some expertsbelieve that HPV is responsible for 90 percent of all cases of cervical cancer. (5)Certain types of the HPV strains have been associated with cancer of the vulva, analcancer, rectal cancer and cancer of the penis.Genital warts can lead to a number of different problems during pregnancy toinclude:
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Difficulty urinating
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Warts on the vaginal wall may reduce the vagina's ability to stretch
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Transmission of the virus to the baby, to include the baby's throat. Surgerymay be needed to prevent airway obstruction.Reference:http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htmwww.wikipedia.com
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