| Genital
Warts is the most common sexually transmitted disease(STD) and
is extremely contagious. 10% of people are carrying the genital
wart virus (HPV) in the USA and 50% of those will develop genital
warts caused by the HPV virus. In the USA, it’s estimated
up to 17 million sexually active Americans have HPV, which is
increasing by 7% each year, but there are estimates that show
there are as many as 5 million new cases actually transmitted
each year! If you have visible symptoms of warts on your genital,
you should not have sexual activity until the warts have been
given some treatment and have been removed.
Men and
women are equally at risk of developing genital warts. In rare
cases adults and children can be infected indirectly, for instance
through the use of an infected towel. Babies can also be infected
during delivery
Condoms
do not cover all genital skin, so they don't protect 100%. But
may help provide protection to stop the virus been spread to
partners. If you have a partner you are sexually active with,
there is a strong possibility they have already contracted the
HPV virus from you. However only 50% of people who have HPV
develop genital warts.
Not everyone
infected with HPV will develop genital warts. Some will be infected
with a strain that does not produce warts, or they will remain
asymptomatic (i.e. no warts will appear) even though the virus
is present in their skin. If you have sexual intercourse with
someone with the HPV there is a 2 in
3 chance you have contracted the virus. If you have unfortunately
contracted the virus then there is a 50% change you will develop
genital warts.
If you
have contracted HPV you may not have any visible symptoms yet,
as symptoms tend to occur a few months after contraction. Sometimes
several years pass without any symptoms. However even without
showing any symptoms it still leaves a healthy partner vulnerable
to becoming infected during sexual activity.
Unfortunately
there is no cure for HPV, and once you are infected you will
have it for the rest of your life. However your body can ‘fight
it off’ and the virus itself can become dormant for decades
and then reappear, but once the warts have formed they don't
typically regress and require treatment.
Although some genital warts can disappear after 2-3 years.
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