The Causes and Treatment of Genital Warts

Genital warts, also known as condyloma acuminate, are caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has over 40 different strains, through direct contact with the mucous membranes of a person who carries them, such as sexual contact or transmission from mother to child during natural childbirth.

What Are the Modes of Transmission for Genital Warts?

- Sexual contact via penile-vaginal, penile-anus, and vaginal-vaginal intercourse;

- Contact with HPV-infected lesions in other areas, such as the lips, hands, fingers, toes, and hairy skin;

- Sharing personal stuff such as glasses, lipstick, towels, soap, razors, or sex toys;

- Giving oral sex to an infected individual with HPV-6 and HPV-11 strains;

- Receiving oral intercourse from someone infected with HPV-6 or HPV-11 in the mouth, lips, tongue, or genitalia;

- Skin-to-skin contact or having sex without ejaculation;

- An infection is transmitted from mother to child during natural childbirth.

Risk factors:

- Having a weakened immune system due to an infection, brittle diabetes, or taking immunosuppressive medication;

- Having herpes simplex before.

What Are the Symptoms of Genital Warts?

Symptoms of genital warts include lumps or polyps that protrude from the mucosal surface, either internally or externally, and spread outward, similar to cauliflower or cockscomb. Genital warts grow in warm, humid, and moist conditions, as well as among immunocompromised individuals. Genital warts can sometimes appear as a small, visible lesion or be completely absent.

Genital warts exhibit the following unique characteristics:

- Polyps that protrude from the skin might be smooth or rough and convex;

- Polyps and lumps of varying sizes;

- Polyps of different colors, including brown, pink, or red;

- A single or cluster of polyps, or lumps, develops on the skin;

- Itching, burning feeling, pain, or soreness around genital warts;

- Bleeding from a polyp or in the vagina, especially during sex.

How Are Genital Warts Diagnosed?

The doctor will establish a preliminary diagnosis of genital warts based on their physical characteristics and then perform a biopsy to confirm the disease. The gynecologist will conduct extra examinations to guarantee thoroughness in detecting genital warts that may hide in organs such as the cervix, using the following methods:

- A gynecologist does a pelvic exam to discover anomalies of the female pelvic organs both internally and outwardly, including nearby organs such as the vulva, labia, vaginal wall, or cervix, in order to provide a full diagnosis. In addition, the gynecologist may do colposcopy, a type of laparoscopy, to discover abnormalities in the vaginal area, epithelial tissue, and female external genitalia;

- Pap test - If you have vaginal bleeding, pus, or discharges, your gynecologist may order an additional Pap test to screen for cervical cancer, as high-risk HPV can cause cervical cancer;

- HPV DNA test is a thorough test that checks for HPV variants associated with genital warts as well as high-risk HPV strains that might cause cervical cancer;

- Rectal exam - using an anoscope, examine anomalies within the anal sphincter and the outer surface of the anus;

What Are the Treatment Options for Genital Warts?

Once you are diagnosed with genital warts, the doctor will explore a variety of treatment choices to accomplish the desired results, such as topical medication, surgical procedures, or other effective therapies to prevent genital warts from spreading or getting larger and more numerous.

Genital warts may appear and disappear without therapy in persons with a strong immune system. However, the virus persists in the body for life without causing symptoms, and the sickness may reoccur when the body's immunity is poor. Treatments for genital warts include the following:

- Medications

The doctor will plan a once-weekly hospital session to apply topical treatment to the internal and external organs where genital warts grow. They will boost the immune system, decreasing genital wart formation and hastening cell degeneration and falloff. Topical treatments include 5% imiquimod, 0.5 percent podofilox, and 80-90% trichloroacetic acid. The doctor will tell you to urinate before taking the prescription to avoid exposing the affected area to water for at least 4-6 hours;

- Surgical excision

The doctor may recommend surgical therapy, especially for big genital warts or lesions that do not respond to medicine, or a biopsy for further investigation. Doctors usually recommend a cesarean section for mothers with genital warts who are about to give birth in order to prevent transmission from mother to kid;

- Electrocautery

This technique uses high heat to cauterize warts and remove improperly developing tissue;

- Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy

This procedure prevents wart growth, enhances skin healing, and causes the lesion to melt away;

- Laser treatments

Doctors evaluate this treatment for both broad genital warts and difficult-to-treat warts.