Human Papilloma virus is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted disease. This is a type of virus that causes warts on people. There are more than 60 types of HPV found. A few types cause warts on hands and feet. One third of them are spread through sexual contact and live only in genital tissue. Low- risk types causes genital warts, the most observable sign of HPV infection. Other high-risk types of HPV causes cervical cancer, vulvae cancer, anal cancer, cancer of the penis and cancer of the or pharynx. .
There are around 24 million cases in the United States and it appears to be increasing but the scary fact is that 76 percent of Americans have not even heard of this virus. Other types of HPV infections, such as those that cause warts on the hands and sole of the feet, do not cause genital warts. Approximately two-thirds of people who have sexual contact with a partner with genital warts will develop warts, usually within three months of contact. As many as 1 million new cases are diagnosed on the United States each year.
In women, the warts occur on the outside and inside of the vagina, on the cervix, or around the anus. In men, genital warts are less common. If presented, they are seen on the tip of the penis; however, they also may be found on the shaft, on the scrotum, or around the anus. Rarely, genital warts also can develop in the mouth or throat of the person who had oral sexual contact with an infected person. Occasionally, people can be born with the infection or children can get it while being bathed or changed. Sometimes people become infected with HPV and the warts will not develop for many years. These warts can be as big as nickels or so small you can't see them. If stay untreated, they eventually may develop a fleshy, small raised growth with a cauliflower-like appearance. Warts may be colored, pink, red or grayish, it may appear smooth, round raised or flat and an occur as single or multiple growths.
