Warts are skin lesions that are typically numb to sensation, raised above the surface of surrounding skin, and flesh-colored or gray. Genital warts are most commonly associated with the the human papilloma virus but can in fact be manifestations of a number of STDs. While very similar in appearance, there are often small clues to help you differentiate between the various causes.
Low-risk HPV
HPV is a virus that infects epithelial cells on the skin or mucosa and may cause irregular, accelerated growth of the infected cells. The result of this growth is a wart, although the minority of HPV cases result in the appearance of visible warts. Human papilloma virus is an exceedingly common sexually-transmitted infection. According to "Current Diagnosis & Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases," "at least 75 percent of sexually active men and women acquire one or more genital HPV types at some point in their lifetime." Sometimes, accelerated growth caused by HPV develops into an uncontrolled cancer. The aforementioned types of HPV are divided into low-risk and high-risk by their tendency to develop into cervical cancer. Types 6 and 11 are considered low-risk, and thankfully are the cause of 90 percent of genital warts. They are transmittable to sexual partners but rarely cause serious disease.
High-risk HPV
HPV types 16 and 18, among others, are considered high-risk. The warts generated by the low-risk and high-risk varieties of HPV look identical. Furthermore, HPV warts are often located in the deep vaginal canal or on the cervix, making them unlikely to be noticed except during a pelvic exam. The only way to differentiate between the two classifications of HPV is by a Papanicolaou (Pap) test. This test is done during a routine pelvic exam by taking a scraping of the cells on the cervix and sending them to a lab to search for any abnormal growth patterns. If they are detected, the cells are sent for DNA analysis. A diagnosis of high-risk HPV generally leads to close observation and surgical excision if any signs of cancerous growth develop.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that initially presents as a single painful ulcer on or near the genitals. If not treated, however, that ulcer regresses and a secondary stage begins characterized by a number of more widespread effects. One of these is called"condyloma latum. This is a type of wart with a flattened appearance as opposed to HPV's rounded, heaped-up shape.
Molluscum Contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum is another viral infection. The warts are round but much smaller than typical HPV warts and they possess a distinctive umbilicated (like a belly button in appearance) center. The virus actually houses itself within a fatty capsule in the center of the wart, delaying discovery by the immune system. While often sexually-transmitted in adults, molluscum is spread by simple skin-to-skin contact and is usually found in children. It disappears on its own after a number of months.
References
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases;" Jeffrey D. Klausner, Edward W. Hook III; 2007
- "CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine, 2e;" Jeannette E. South-Paul, Samuel C. Matheny, Evelyn L. Lewis; 2008
