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HPV
(Human Papilloma Virus) and Genital Warts
Genital
Warts, What is it?
Genital
warts is caused by a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus
(HPV).
What
does it look like?
Genital
warts look similar
to the warts we sometimes see on our hands and feet. All
warts are transmitted by skin to skin contact. Warts are
'site specific' which means that genital warts are only
found in the genital area (and those on your hands and
feet will only be found on your hands and feet).
Who
does it infect?
It
is believed that up to 85% of sexually active people will
be infected with the virus at some stage of their lives
and about 20% will have it at any one time, although only
a small percentage will actually have visible warts.
Some
women
will only find out they have the virus after they
have a
test, called a Pap Smear. Others
will
have no symptoms at all and may unknowingly pass the virus
on to their sexual partners.
Even
those who develop warts may have the virus for up to 3
months,
or even a year, before developing symptoms.
What
is the treatment?
Unfortunately
there is no treatment that will get rid of the virus once
you are infected, but the body usually rids itself of the
virus over a period of a few months to a few years. And
if
you smoke, you are likely to take longer to get rid of the
virus.
For
those who have genital warts, there are a number of treatments
including:
- Freezing
- Special
paint
- Creams
- Laser
- Burning
If
I have the virus, how long before I can ditch the condoms?
Because
there is no way to tell whether you are infectious or not
(you can be wart-free and still infectious), it's important
to discuss using protection with all your sexual partners.
If
you have no warts and have a negative Pap Smear, you can
still
have the virus that causes genital warts in your body.
As yet, there is no test that is 100% effective for picking
up
the virus.
What
if I want to become pregnant?
Being
infected with the virus will not stop you becoming pregnant.
However, warts may:
- Appear
for the first time or increase in number during pregnancy
- Can
be passed onto the baby during a vaginal birth (however
this is uncommon and rarely causes harm to the baby).
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maintained by:FPV Webmaster
Last updated:13/07/2006
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