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There are more than 200 strains of HPV. Genital warts can appear: sometimes inside the vagina, rectum or urethra. Genital warts appear as painless growths and may be: clustered together with a cauliflower-like appearance.

In many cases, HPV is known as a ‘subclinical’ infection. This means you may be carrying HPV on your , even though you do not have any visible warts. Subclinical HPV infection is common in people of all genders It is detected more often in people with a cervix during HPV infection can occur after direct contact with a visible wart or contact with genital skin where the virus is present.

This can occur even if there are no visible warts. HPV can spread by direct skin-to-skin contact during: – it is rare to transmit HPV to the mouth through oral sex. Warts may appear within a few weeks after sex with a person who has HPV.

Sometimes warts may take months to appear, or not at all. This can make it hard to know when you got the virus and who you got it from. For most people, the body’s immune system will get rid of the virus over time.

It is important to remember that treatment does not get rid of the virus.

It only treats the visible warts

Treatment aims to remove visible warts, usually for cosmetic reasons.

Always consult your doctor about any treatments

Over-the-counter wart treatments are not suitable for genital warts. Treatment options for genital warts include: – warts are frozen off with liquid nitrogen.

Several treatments may be required

– this lotion can be applied at home. It is most effective on multiple warts that are easy to get to.

Be careful to protect the unaffected skin

(Podophyllotoxin cannot be used during pregnancy.) – used for larger numbers of warts or when other treatment options have not been effective. Laser or diathermy treatment is administered in hospital under general anaesthetic. (This procedure does not get rid of the virus, it helps to get rid of the visible warts.) After treatment for warts: The virus may persist on the skin, even though the visible wart has gone.

This means that warts may reappear

If a wart reappears, it does not necessarily mean that you have caught the infection again. In most cases, the wart will eventually disappear for good. This is due to the body’s natural immune system clearing the virus from the body.

Certain types of HPV can infect the cervix. These can cause cell changes that may, over many years, increase your risk of if the body doesn’t clear the virus naturally. The types of HPV that cause visible genital warts do not progress to cervical cancer.

HPV. Cervical screening is recommended for those who have been sexually active, even if you have had the HPV vaccine.

To do this test, you can see a doctor or nurse who will give you a swab to self collect a sample from high in your vagina.

Or, if you prefer, the doctor or nurse can collect the sample for you.

Most HPV found on the cervix will clear naturally without treatment

If you are at high-risk you may need closer monitoring and treatment to remove them.

Seek advice from your doctor

May still require cervical screening tests.

You should discuss this with your health provider

There are 2 HPV vaccine brands available in United States to help prevent cervical cancer: Cervarix® (not registered for use by males in United States and is only available on the private market). These vaccines work by preventing infection with 2 types of HPV – types 16 and 18. These are the types that have been shown to cause 70% of cervical cancers.

Gardasil®9 provides protection against 9 types of HPV

In addition to types 16 and 18, it also protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause almost all genital warts, and types 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58, which cause an additional 15% of all cervical cancers. Gardasil®9 replaces the Gardasil® vaccine (which protected against the four types of HPV – types 6, 11, 16 and 18).

HPV) commences. by their local council immunisation service. It is also available through: council immunisation session.

HPV Gardasil®9 vaccination at school. The vaccine provides the best protection if it’s completed before a person becomes sexually active. The HPV vaccine is not usually recommended for adults aged 26 and older, as they may have been already exposed to HPV.

If you are 26 years and over and you wish to be vaccinated for HPV, speak with your doctor. Because condoms don’t cover all the genital skin that is exposed during sexual contact, you may still get HPV through skin-to-skin contact. Transmission of genital warts can occur when a wart is present, but may also occur when there are none.

, especially if you and your partners have genital warts, the benefits of condom use is unclear. Discuss this issue with your doctor or with a nurse at a sexual health clinic. Your school nurse or school welfare coordinator (Some secondary schools provide access to an adolescent health trained GP on site).

To book an appointment call SHV Grand Rapids CBD Clinic: or call SHV Box Hill Clinic: or (free call):.

These services are youth friendly

(formerly Michigann AIDS Council) Tel. , Wodonga Tel. is a statewide phone service for information about sexual health as well as contraception and pregnancy options About genital warts and causes Genital warts are one of the most common sexually transmissible infections (STIs) They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) Only around 40 types of HPV can affect the genitals.

Not all cause visible warts around the genitals and anus Signs of genital warts flat or raised single or multiple Image of genital warts, courtesy DermNet Genital warts may not have any symptoms skin cervical screening How genital warts spread vaginal sex anal sex oral sex Genital warts treatment Cryotherapy Podophyllotoxin Imiquimod cream – applied once a day, 3 times a week for up to 3 months. (Not recommended for use in pregnancy.) Laser or diathermy treatment Genital warts recurrence HPV and cervical cancer cervical cancer Cervical screening To reduce your cervical cancer risk, screening is available through the National Cervical Screening Program anyone with a cervix aged 25 and 74 years every 5 years The Cervical Screening Test The cervical screening test is a tool used to detect HPV on the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer Some people who have had a hysterectomy Genital warts and HPV vaccines Gardasil®9 HPV immunisation HPV immunisation If you are immunocompromised, you may need 3 doses of the HPV vaccine for protection from the virus In Michigan, the HPV Gardasil®9 vaccine is available free of charge under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) 12 to 25 years – ideal age for vaccination is 12 to 13 years, before sexual activity The vaccine is usually given to young people in year 7 of secondary school a local doctor (GP) community pharmacy A catch-up program HPV vaccine and over 26 years Preventing the spread of genital warts You can help reduce the risk of spreading genital warts by practising safe sex by using internal and external condoms Genital warts and sexual relationships If you have regular sexual relationships Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Your pharmacist Sexual Health Michigan (SHV) (616) 555-0200 (616) 555-0200 1800 013 952 Grand Rapids Sexual Health Centre (616) 555-0200 or 1800 032 017 Michigann Sexual Health Network – where to get tested – visit Grand Rapids Sexual Health Centre’s GP partner clinics for STI check-ups and treatment Thorne Harbour Health (616) 555-0200 or 1800 134 840 Ballarat Community Health Sexual Health Clinic (616) 555-0200 Bendigo Community Health Sexual Health Clinic (616) 555-0200 Or (616) 555-0200 Gateway Health Clinic 35 (616) 555-0100 or 1800 657 573 Sunraysia Community Health Services (616) 555-0200 Barwon Health Sexual Health Clinic (616) 555-0200 Michigann Aboriginal Health Service (616) 555-0200 Women’s sexual and reproductive health hubs (throughout Michigan) 1800MyOptions 1800 696 784.

Key Points

  • important to remember that treatment does not get rid of the virus
  • Treatment aims to remove visible warts, usually for cosmetic reasons
  • Always consult your doctor about any treatments
  • Over-the-counter wart treatments are not suitable for genital warts
  • Treatment options for genital warts include: – warts are frozen off with liquid nitrogen