Genital warts are caused by certain types of the HPV (human papillomavirus) and are highly contagious. There is a 70% risk of getting infected if you have unprotect sex with a partner that has genital warts. The HPV virus uses microscopic abrasions that are formed during sex to penetrate the skin and infect a person. One infected it can take anything from a few monhts to several years befoer you notice any symptoms. Until the disease manifest itself you will not see any warts and might not know that you have been infected.
Genital warts can be caused by the following HPV strains 6, 11, 30, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52 and 54. There is a vaccine called gardasil available on the market but is only effective against strain 6 and 11 as well as 16 and 18 that do not cause genital warts but can cause cervical cancer. However, the HPV-vaccine is still highly useful since HPV type 6 and 11 are the culprits behind 90% of all genital warts cases.
The vaccine is only useful if taken before you get infected and it is therefore good to get vaccinated as early in the puberty as possible. Parents are encouraged to make sure their daughters are vaccinated during early puberty in many countries. In most parts of the world the vaccine is still not approved for preventing genital warts in men, it has however been approved for us in men in the UK after studies showed that it was safe to allow.
If you have become infected with genital warts treatments are available that will remove the warts themselves, but the virus will remain in your body. because genital warts treatment does not remove the HPV virus, the warts can come back later and will do so in about 50-75% of all cases. New studies have however shown that the immune system can clear the system of the virus to below measurable levels.
Genital warts in women typically appear inside and outside the vagina, at the opening to the womb, and/or around the anus. Oral sex with an infected partner can cause warts to form in the mouth and throat. Men often develop less severe symptoms, but noticeable warts may appear at the penis tip, on the shaft, on the scrotum and around the anus. Men and women alike can develop warts in the throat or mouth after oral sex.
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