Genital Warts

Human Papilloma Virus

What is HPV?

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the world’s commonest STD and causes warts and also cervical, vulval, anal and other types of pre-cancers and cancers.

• The HPV virus has many subtypes, the most common of which are types 6, 11, 16 and 18.

• HPV 6 and 11 causes external genital warts whilst 16 and 18 are invisible and may cause genital and anal cancers if untreated.

• External genital warts take a long time to clear, require intensive treatment and are often very distressing.

• Infection with the virus is typically transient so a person may clear an infection after a short period.

• Because we will often periodically clear infections it is possible to use this knowledge to vaccinate against the virus and also reinfection.

• Genital warts treatment using liquid nitrogen, laser, curetting, surgical excision and also imiquimod cream is available routinely.

• Dr Dan are keen to vaccinate against HPV at the earliest opportunity.

• Our preferred routine is to use PCR testing to identify if a person already has the HPV virus.

• If there is no proven infection then we would be keen to immunise using the vaccine called Gardasil 9.

• This is a course of three vaccinations over 6 months.