In today’s society where many people are what is termed “sexually active”, meaning they have multiple partners over a period of time where unprotected sex is practiced. The risks of both catching and infecting others is greatly increased as genital warts (HPV) is one of the most virulent STD’s encountered today.
There is a lot of information that goes into understanding what are genital warts. An overview of what are genital warts provides the simple explanation that they are flesh-colored or gray growths that both men and women can get in the genital and anal region. Genital warts are also the most common sexually transmitted disease caused by the transmission of a virus. Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV.
The transmission and infection of genital warts is not obvious to the partners.
Both men and women can get genital warts at any age. Those between the ages of seventeen and thirty-three are the most common patients with genital warts. Carriers are highly contagious and there is a sixty percent risk of getting genital warts with just one sexual contact with someone who has been infected. In children genital warts can occur through nonsexual modes such as direct manual contact. However, the presence of genital warts in children is always cause for suspicion of sexual abuse.
What Are Genital Warts Caused By
Genital warts are caused a virus called the human papilloma virus or HPV. There are over a hundred different types of this virus have been identified. It has been established that over forty of these viruses can infect the genital area. Although ninety percent of genital warts are caused by two types of the HPV virus, number six and eleven. Both of these types are considered low risk, meaning they don’t have a high cancer causing potential. Then there is HPV 16 which is responsible for fifty percent of the cervical cancer cases and types 16, 18, 31 and 45 have accounted for eighty percent of other cancers.
More specifically when considering what are genital warts caused by, they result when the viral particles are able to penetrate the skin or mucosal surfaces through any microscopic abrasions in the genital area, which can occur during sexual activity. After the HPV virus invades cells there is a latency period, hwere the virus lays dormant for a period of several months to years. Although most of the time two-thirds of people who had sexual contact with a partner with genital warts developed the warts themselves within three months.
Another aspect of what are genital warts caused by that many are not aware of is the fact that genital warts are associated with the use of birth control pills due to increased sexual contact without barrier protection, multiple sex partners and having sex when an individual is too young.
Is this the scourge of modern societies promiscuity , it leaves unmistakable signs, is very uncomfortable, highly embarrassing and above all is highly contagious. One has to ask oneself is all the possible pain, inconvenience and suffering, worth the momentary pleasures of unprotected sex.

Sexual Intercourse is the number one method through which HPV strains which cause genital warts are passed on. Having sexual intercourse with a partner who is already infected with the HPV genital wart strain will give you a 66% chance, or two-thirds of a chance, of getting genital warts yourself. Sexual intercourse in this case implies not only vaginal sex, but also oral sex, and anal sex.

There are ways by which you can prevent or avoid getting genital warts, but if your sexual partner has it, then there’s a likelihood that you will also get it. And since it might take a few months even a few years for genital warts to manifest itself in a person who has been infected, even a person who is reasonably certain that they don’t have genital warts might indeed have the HPV infection present within them.

There’s also the chance that if you indulge in oral sex with an infected partner, that you can get genital warts HPV strain in your throat. (Laryngeal papiolloma) Although using a condom or spermicides will not give you a 100% success rate of preventing or avoiding genital warts, not using either one is just asking for disaster to befall you. If you have sex with a partner who has genital warts, you have a two thirds chance of getting it yourself. By using a condom however, you can significantly cut down on that risk.

Non-monogamous Relationships as a “cause” of genital warts can also be split into two sections. Sexual intercourse with more than one partner, and, Sexual intercourse with a partner who has had multiple partner Both of these leaves room for you to get genital warts, and if you fall into either one of these categories you might want to have a full checkup to make sure that you don’t have HPV even if you don’t display any of the signs or symptoms. Sexual intercourse with more than one partner needn’t be taken to mean that you’re having sexual relations with more than one partner at a time. If you’re sexually active and have had more than one sexual partner over the course of that time, you’re at risk for getting genital warts.

It can also be taken that if you have more than one sexual partner at a time you have a good chance of getting genital HPV. If you have only ever had one sexual partner, but he or she has had more than partner in their lifetime, there’s a chance that you might get genital warts through them.

Since the genital warts don’t always manifest themselves immediately, there’s a chance that they didn’t realize they have HPV. If this is the case you might become infected without either of you being any the wiser.

There’s also the case that although you might be in a monogamous relationship, your partner might not be, in which case they might be sexually active with one or more other sexual partners. These are all ways and means by which you can get genital warts without your being aware of it. And that’s why it’s recommended that if you have genital warts, that your sexual partner (or partners) also have an examination for genital warts.

Although Sexual Intercourse in the Early Teen Years doesn’t necessarily have to be so, if you start to have sexual relations at a very young age – under 18 – you’re at a risk of getting genital warts. That’s one of the main reasons why a pap smear is recommended for sexually active young girls. Sexually transmitted diseases are nothing to laugh at, and genital HPV once contracted won’t disappear easily. The infection can sometimes linger for a few years, and the genital can even recur.

This is also the reason that the newly FDA passed vaccine for genital HPV, Gardasil, is recommended as being given as young as 9-12