Hpv infection is one of the most common infections that are sexually transmitted. This virus affects the mucous membranes and skin of the patient and there are more than 40 hpv types that tend to infect the genital areas in women and men. This infection affects the regions like vulva, penis, lining of the vagina, rectum and cervix. Many people who get this infection don’t even know about it.

Different strains or types of hpv are responsible for causing cancer and genital warts. The hpv types causing warts are called low risk while those causing cancer are called high risk hpv types. In around 90% of the cases the immune system within the body tends to clear the hpv infection and this can occur naturally within a period of two years. Genital warts include small bumps that appear in groups in the genital areas of a person.

These genital warts may be flat or raised and these may be small or large. These warts are often shaped like cauliflower and appear on the vulva, near the vagina or anus, in the region of the cervix, penis, groin, and scrotum and on the thighs. These warts ay appear if a person has sexual contact with someone who has the hpv infection. These warts may appear in a period of weeks or months following the sexual contact.

If the hpv infection is not treated then the warts may go away on their or remain unchanged or these may grow in size and number. Genital hpv infection is normally passed through sexual contact including anal and vaginal sex. In rare cases a pregnant woman may get genital hpv and pass on this to the newborn child in vaginal delivery.

Hpv infection causes the normal cells on the infected mucous membranes or skin to turn abnormal. In many cases these cell changes cannot be obviously seen. In maximum cases the infection is fought off naturally by the body and the infected cells tend to become normal again. If a high risk infection lingers for some time the abnormal cells may turn cancerous with time.

Around 6.2 million individuals are infected yearly and almost 50% of the sexually active individuals get genital hpv infection at some time in their lives. A vaccine developed in recent times can help protect women from four kinds of hpv and these four kinds of hpv are responsible for causing genital warts and cervical cancers. Condom usage can help reduce the risk of hpv and these may also help reduce the risk of developing hpv related problems like cervical cancer and genital warts. However hpv infection can affect areas that are not completely covered by condoms and this indicates that condoms cannot provide total protections against this infection. Being in a mutually monogamous relationship with a person who is not infected can help in avoiding this infection.

Genital warts can be identified and diagnosed through visual inspection while changes in cervical cells can be detected through routine pap tests. Treatment of hpv infection includes removal of genital warts that are visible through medications that need to be applied to the affected areas. Some treatments performed by health care professionals can also help remove the warts. Cervical cancer can be treated through radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery when it is diagnosed early.