Health Info & Services

• What it is
• How you get it
• Symptoms
• Testing
• Treatment
• If you don't take care of it

Genital Warts, also known as condyloma acuminata, are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are more than 60 different human papilloma viruses (HPVs). They cause a variety of warts and other conditions and can remain in the system for life.

A few HPVs cause genital warts, but most genital HPV infections are not visible and have no symptoms. Some of these are associated with cancer of the cervix, vulva, or penis.

Every year, about 5.5 million Americans are newly infected with genital HPVs - 20 million women and men are now infected. Studies suggest that as many as three-quarters of adults in the United States have been infected with at least one type of HPV virus. Sometimes there are no symptoms of infection, and people with HPV do not always know they have it.

• Sexual contact (vaginal, oral or anal) with someone who has HPV
• Skin-to-skin, genital-to-genital, wart-to-genital contact with someone who has HPV
• The virus can be passed even when no warts are present

Symptoms may appear in one month or up to several years later.

• Some people have no symptoms at all
• Warts may appear smooth, round, raised or flat and can occur as single or multiple growths which resemble cauliflower
• Warts may be flesh colored, pink, red or grayish
• May have slight itching or irritation
• Warts can be on genitals, inside penis, vagina, anus, or throat

• Medical examination of bumps
• Pap test may detect the virus in women
• Colposcope (a high powered microscope) and a biopsy may be used to detect abnormal cells on the surface of the skin.
• New laboratory test can detect the virus itself

• Warts can be burned off with chemicals, electric current, laser therapy, surgically removed or frozen off
• If left untreated, genital warts may go away on their own, stay the same or continue to grow. However, most health care providers recommend that they be treated.
• Even after treatment, warts can recur
• In some cases, the body will develop an immunity to the particular strain of HPV and eliminates it. However, this immunity may not extend to other strains of HPV.

• There are no cures
• Warts can grow larger and become harder to remove; this may block the opening of the urethra, vagina or anus
• Warts may spread to new areas
• HPV can also cause pre-cancerous changes in the cervix and make the pap smear abnormal
• A woman with cervical or vaginal warts can pass the virus to her infant during delivery
• Can spread virus to sexual partner(s)

top of page
General Information on STIs

Adapted from PPFA (www.plannedparenthood.org) and Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (www.ppgg.org)