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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.