What are genital warts?
In the category of acute condylomas, genital warts play a prestigious role: it is a group of sexually transmitted infectious diseases - probably the most common venereal diseases - which manifest themselves as rough growths localized on the surface of the skin or on the mucous membranes of the area. genital.
Causes
Genital warts reflect a "viral infection caused by the HPV papilloma virus (belonging to type 6 or 11), the same pathogen involved in the formation of warts in the feet and other anatomical sites. Genital warts are highly contagious lesions, the transmission of which occurs through sexual contact, however, even in the case of sexual intercourse with infected people, some individuals do not contract the infection, probably due to a highly effective immune system. Not surprisingly, many affected patients are immunocompromised or defied, therefore people with a low efficacy of the immune system.
Symptoms and complications
Genital warts can affect anyone, both men and women; when symptomatic, the genital lesions - after an incubation time ranging from one to six months - appear as rough eruptions, more or less evident, limited to the genital area. In men, the warty growths infect, in particular, the glans, the urethral meatus, the frenulum, the shaft of the penis and the balano-preputial sulcus; in women, on the other hand, genital warts occur more frequently in the vulva, vagina and neck of the uterus. Fortunately, warty growths involve pain, irritation, itching and localized burning, of variable intensity, generally weak. Most of the time, genital warts are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye; other variants, on the other hand, can grow, aggregating and forming small groups of sharp warts, much more annoying.
Genital warts can also spread orally, in case of oral sexual contact with infected partners or carriers.
Among the possible complications, the possible repercussions during pregnancy should not be forgotten: in a pregnant woman, genital warts can enlarge, up to creating even important urinary disorders; moreover, the formation of warty lesions in the genital area of pregnant women can weaken the elasticity of the vaginal tissues, an indispensable factor for a faster birth. Only rarely, a child born to a mother suffering from genital warts can contract warty lesions inside of the oral cavity: for this last possibility - however extremely remote - the child will undergo a surgical intervention aimed at preventing the obstruction of the airways.
Genital warts and tumor degeneration?
Genital warts are benign neoplastic microlesions which, only rarely, turn into tumor forms; we must not be alarmed: the probability of malignant degeneration is very low, even if some subjects seem to be predisposed to it, especially AIDS patients and patients with a past history of organ transplantation and cancer. of a possible malignant progression of genital warts is heavily influenced by the type or types of virus involved in the infection; for example, an underlying co-infection with papilloma virus type 16 or 18 significantly increases the risk of malignant transformation.
To give an example, just think of cervical cancer, which reflects an "infection linked to the HPV virus: for this reason, screening programs recommend a PAP test every three years from 25 years of age.
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Diagnosis
We have seen that genital warts do not always involve appreciable symptoms; for this reason, often the affected patient does not realize the infection, and the diagnosis is discovered causally.
The detection of genital HPV infections is essentially clinical; subsequently, we proceed with the analysis of a sample (biopsy) to ascertain whether or not the diagnosis is made. Often, genital warts are difficult to diagnose immediately, therefore, the doctor can directly apply an acetic acid solution in situ, to whiten them and make them more evident.
For women who have not performed it in the previous three years, a pap smear is recommended, useful for detecting early signs of cervical cancer degeneration. A more modern exam, the HPV test for serotypes with higher potential malignant, it can replace the pap test, but only from 30/35 years old.
If one of these two tests is positive, a diagnostic procedure known as colposcopy is indicated to confirm or deny the possible presence of a tumor in the cervix.
Treatment and medications
Genital warts can disappear spontaneously, without the need for any treatment: young women often have an iron immune system, therefore able to defeat the virus without drugs. Other patients, often immunologically compromised, are not able to eradicate the pathogen themselves, therefore, in similar circumstances, the administration of drugs is essential. Furthermore, the risk of recurrence should be taken into consideration: in order to avoid the reappearance of genital warts, it is recommended to put into practice some simple precautions:
- Scrupulous personal and intimate hygiene
- Avoid applying scented intimate creams
- Use mild detergents, never aggressive
- Prefer clothing that is not too tight
- Avoid synthetic underwear, prefer cotton underwear
- Use condoms, especially in relationships with different and at-risk partners
In any case, genital warts can be frozen (literally) with cryotherapy, the cold therapy that consists in the use of tampons soaked in liquid nitrogen to remove the genital wart: cold treatment allows you to remove the wart avoiding the bleeding. Laser therapy, electrocoagulation and surgical excision are also alternative therapeutic techniques, recommended for genital warts that are particularly annoying and resistant to medical treatment (for drug therapy: read the article on drugs for the treatment of genital warts).
It is also recommended to subject the sexual partner (even if asymptomatic) to pharmacological treatments for genital warts, in order to avoid the rebound effect.
