by Jane Brunton

Created on: July 11, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

Of the 100 or so human papilloma viruses (HPVs) that infect the human body at least 40 make their home in the anogenital tract. These cause genital warts known as condylomata acuminata or venereal warts. Many are benign but others cause precancerous conditions in the uterus and that may result in cancer of the uterine cervix.

Generally affecting young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 it is transmitted directly through sexual contact but not through body fluids or blood. Condoms, spermicides and hormonal birth control methods have little or no affect on reducing the hazard of transmission.

Hand-genital and oral-genital transmission is possible. Due to its existence in young children and cloistered nuns it has been theorized that mothers may pass the virus to their babies in the birth canal. Abstinence is the only proven method for avoiding this disease.

People who have been infected may never develop warts or show any symptoms. If symptoms are present they may be evident as a mild itching, burning, tenderness or bleeding after intercourse.

It is not certain whether the virus goes into latency (hiding) only to resurge in the future but asymptomatic infected people can still spread the infection.

Pap smears cannot detect the presence of HPV unless a special DNA test is conducted on the material collected for the smear. The Pap test can identify infected abnormal cells that may be precursors to cancer thus dramatically reducing the risk.

When genital warts are visible they take the form of fleshy, raised or cauliflower-like bumps on sexually exposed areas. Currently there is no cure or treatment other than the removal of these warts. This will not prevent recurrence.

Some treatments, involving injections or cryotherapy (freezing), laser surgery and excision are performed by physicians. Others, using drugs such as podofilox (Condylox) or imiquimod [(Aldara), can be applied by the patient until all warts are gone.

Women with precancerous changes to the uterine cervix require treatment such as conization (excision with a knife), laser or cryotherapy to remove the affected cervical tissue.

Men infected with the virus are at risk for anal cancers and as yet no method for screening or managing early signs is available.

Recent advances have provided a vaccine approved for use in females between 9 and 26 years of age.

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