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causes of Genital Warts is predominantly down to having sex
with an infected partner. Even just close genital contact is
enough to spread the condition. Genital
warts are normally painless but may be itchy, although they
may become painful during sexual intercourse depending on the
location of the warts.
Genital
warts can appear on the skin anywhere in the genital area as
white or flesh-coloured, smooth, small bumps, or larger, fleshy,
cauliflower-like lumps.
Both men and women are equally at risk of developing genital
warts. In rare causes adults and children can be infected indirectly,
for instance through the use of an infected towel. Babies can
also be infected during delivery
(see
genital warts during pregnancy).
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 just once with the
HPV virus, there is a 2 in 3 chance you have contracted the
virus. So if you have a partner you are sexually active with,
there is a strong possibility you have already contracted the
HPV virus from them. However only 50% of people who have the
HPV virus actually develop
genital warts. There
are about 80 types of HPV and depending on which strain you
catch will determine if you develop genital warts.
Once
a person contracts the HPV
virus a quiet period of months to years can occur. 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.
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