Venereal Warts

Dr.Joe's Data Base

Venereal Warts

What causes Venereal Warts?

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* Warts are caused by a virus called Human papillomavirus (HPV)
* The virus infects only the topmost layer of the skin where they grow
and cause the skin to grow with it.
* More than 50 types of the virus are known and 14 of them infect the
mucosa (wall) of the genital tract.

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How do you get it?

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* Sexual contact: any kind of sex that causes you to come in contact
with a person who has the infection.
* Autoinocculation (self-infection): can spread it in your self by
touching the part which is infected and then touching another part of
your body which is not infected.
* Baby can also get it when the baby passes through the birth canal of
an infected mother.

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Who gets it?

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* Anyone can.
* Those who have unprotected sex.
* The baby who is passed through the birth canal of the infected mother.

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What happens to me if I get this?

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* It is possible that you may not feel anything but you are still
infected. This makes prevention of spreading the infection very
difficult.
* It can take 2-3 months before you may feel anything.
* Warts grow in and around the entrance of the anus and the vagina and
appear on top of the penis.
* They are PINK, CAULIFLOWER like skin growths but are PAINLESS.
* In WOMEN
o Genital warts have been linked to CERVICAL CANCER
o It is important that women who have them or have a partner who
has them get cervical pap smear test regularly to make sure that
they didn't get cervical cancer.

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How long do I get it for?

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* 50 percent of the warts go away by themselves in 6-12 months without
any treatment.
* With treatment, they go away much faster.

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How can I prevent it?

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* USE CONDOMS when having sex!!!!
* Better yet, don't have sex with unknown and multiple partners!!

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How does the doctor test for this?

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* Simply by looking at it you can tell that you have warts.

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How is it treated?

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* Genital warts can be removed by:
o surgery
o a medication called podophyllin which you have to apply on the
wart (making sure not to apply on normal skin which it can damage
if you aren't careful)
* The warts can come back even after treatment.

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What happens to me in the long run?

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* Warts can go away and come back even after treatment.
* It is a bigger problem in women because this infection is linked to
Cervical Cancer. Women who have had warts or have a partner who have
had it should get cervical smear test regularly.

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Community Outreach Health Information System