Genital warts, which appear as small flesh-colored clusters or bumps of tissue, are the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. In fact surveys conclude that at least half the sexually active male and female population may contract genital HPV. "HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus. This indicates that warts are a virus, and can exist in the skin even if no warts are visible to the naked eye. That means that the virus is contagious even when there are no symptoms. So be careful, and be sure to check for STD's regularly when you visit your doctor for check-ups. This way, you won't accidentally spread a virus to a loved one. Genital warts are generally found around the genital areas. In women they are found in the vagina, cervix or anus and on men they are found in the penis and anus. Genital warts may be passed on through vaginal, oral, or anal sex and research reveals that a pregnant woman can pass HPV on to her infant during vaginal delivery. There are more than 100 types of HPV and 30 of these are transmitted through sexual activity and are classified as high or low risk. The high-risk variety reportedly causes cell changes that may result in cervical cancer in those infected with the virus if left untreated for a long period of time. Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts, but not cervical cancer. Often, those infected with low-risk HPV are unaware they are infected since low-risk HPV may not present symptoms. |
