HPV or the warts virus

What is HPV and how dangerous is it?

The human papilloma or warts virus is a group of viruses that causes warts and cancers on the human body. There are many different wart viruses, with the one causing warts on the hands and feet (types1 and 2), different from those causing warts on the normal skin, which are different from those causing warts on the external genitals, which, in turn, are different from those causing cancer on the penis and cervix.{{more}}

The viruses are numbered from 1 to 50+, with over 40 types infecting humans. These viruses are transmitted via sex or skin-to-skin contact. The HPVs I am concerned about here are those that cause warts and cancers on the external genitalia, also called ano-genital region (penis, vulva or vaginal lips, vagina and anus) and cervix. The virus causing warts on the ano-genital region are usually types 16, 7 11, 32 and 44, while those causing cancers are usually types 16,18, 31 and 45. There is usually some overlap and, as you would expect, because of varying sexual practices, the same types can cause warts or cancers in the mouth and throat (oro-pharyngeal region). Warts and cancers are generally caused by different viruses; however if the warts persist in an area for a long period of time, they may slowly transform into a cancer, but usually go through a precancerous stage, while cancers formed by HPV usually do not form warts first, but develop as cancer years after exposure to the virus. They usually go through an obvious precancerous stage, which can be detected, if looked for. There are many viruses that infect humans that can cause cancers; HPV is just one of them.

How do I know that I have contracted HPV?

Generally you do not know unless you develop a wart. There are no other clinical symptoms. Development of a cancer should not be looked at as a way of knowing that you have picked up HPV, since this is the terminal stage and most cancers have a precancerous stage, which is usually not obvious, unless you look for it. Most people who develop ano-genital or oro-pharyngeal warts from sexual intercourse will lose 90% of them by the end of 2 years; i.e. they will disappear on their own. The next 10% will need an intervention to remove them and rarely they will go on to form cancers if these are the high risk ones or the person is immunocompromised, e.g. have HIV-AIDS.

How do I know if my type wart is cancer forming or not?

As mentioned before, most warts do not form cancer. HPV, which form cancers generally, do not cause warts first. If you are unfortunate to have a wart that persists beyond 2 years, then you should have it checked out by a doctor. Before 2 years, warts that are increasing in size rapidly, bleeding or causing pain, should be seen by a doctor or health personel.

Why does the HPV cause warts in so many different areas?

It depends on the type of HPV you are infected with and your sexual practice. As mentioned above, different HPV cause warts from cancers and even those that cause warts are also different. There is a group of 4-10 types that cause sexually transmitted warts and a different type causing the common skin warts that you can contract by swimming in a pool or touching someone who has warts. With respect to the sexually transmitted warts, the area infected depends on your sexual practice. People engaging in heterosexual intercourse can contract genital warts, while homosexuals can get anal warts. Lesbians can get vulval (vaginal lips) warts, (as can a woman who has sex with a man infected with the appropriate type HPV). Obviously, practitioners of oral sex can get oro-pharyngeal warts!

Next week, I will discuss the cancers caused by sexually transmitted HPV.

For comments or question contact:

Dr. Rohan Deshong
Tel: (784) 456-2785
email: deshong@vincysurf.com