Genital warts pathophysiology

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Overview

Genital warts are the most easily recognized sign of genital HPV infection. They can be caused by strains 6, 11, 30, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52 and 54 of genital HPV; types 6 and 11 are responsible for 90% of genital warts cases. Most people who acquire those strains never develop warts or any other symptoms. HPV also causes many cases of cervical cancer; types 16 and 18 account for 70% of cases; however, the strains of HPV that cause genital warts are not linked to the strains that cause cancer.

Pathophysiology

• Genital warts often occur in clusters and can be very tiny or can spread into large masses in the genital or penis area. In women they occur on the outside and inside of the vagina, on the opening (cervix) to the womb (uterus), or around the anus.
• They are approximately as prevalent in men, but the symptoms may be less obvious.
• When present, they usually are seen on the tip of the penis. They also may be found on the shaft of the penis, on the scrotum, or around the anus. * Rarely, genital warts also can develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person.
• The viral particles are able to penetrate the skin and mucosal surfaces through microscopic abrasions in the genital area, which occur during sexual activity. * Once cells are invaded by HPV, a latency (quiet) period of months to years may occur. HPV can last for several years without a symptom.
• Having sex with a partner whose HPV infection is latent and demonstrates no outward symptoms still leaves one vulnerable to becoming infected. That causes the increase of HPV infectors and sometimes you cannot track down who was the source of the infection.