Condyloma

Information

Condylomas, also known as venereal warts or genital warts, are a common sexually transmitted disease. One in ten people have had condylomas at least once in their lives. Condylomas have been known in medicine for a long time. They were described by physicians as early as Ancient Greece. Hippocrates called them "genital warts".

What causes condylomas?
Genital warts (condylomas) are caused by viruses (Human Papilloma Virus - HPV). There are many types of these viruses, and some of them cause warts on the hands and plantar warts on the feet. About 30 types of HPV are transmitted through sexual contact and can lead to the development of condylomas in the genital area and around the anus.

What do condylomas look like?
They are pale pink, soft, single or multiple warts the color of the surrounding skin, with a grainy, cauliflower-like surface. They are usually painless. The surface of the warts is raised, and they grow in clusters. Condylomas can reach large sizes, and in some cases become infected, causing a strong unpleasant smell, redness, and inflammation of the skin.

Characteristics of HPV condyloma infections
Upon infection, HPV can remain in a latent (dormant) state for an indefinite period. During this time, the virus may be deep in the skin and mucous membranes, but this may not be visible on the surface. In most cases, the virus remains inactive in the skin, but it can be transmitted to sexual partners.

The time from infection with the virus to the development of warts is usually 1 to 5 months, but in some cases warts may develop years after contact with an infected person. Due to their long latent period and the fact that in some cases in women they can develop in the internal genital organs, where they are not visible, condylomas are easily transmitted during sexual contact, even when protection is used.

What are the characteristics of condylomas?
In men, condylomas appear on the penis, in the urethral canal itself, around and in the anus. They predispose to skin cancer.

In women, condylomas are located in the pubic areas (in the area of the clitoris, the labia minora, less often the labia majora, in the vagina, cervix), at the vaginal entrance, the urethra (through which urine drains from the bladder), and near and in the anus. Condylomas are rarely found in the throat. Involvement of the cervix is particularly dangerous, since it has been established that human papillomavirus infection is a risk factor for cervical cancer.

Ways of transmission
Condylomas are transmitted through vaginal, oral, and anal sex, as well as through direct skin contact. They develop about 3 weeks after sexual contact, but the infection can also manifest years later, depending on the state of the immune system. A pregnant woman infected with HPV can transmit the virus to the baby. In babies infected with HPV, condylomas of the throat and nasopharynx have been described.

How do I know if I have condylomas?
If you suspect sexually transmitted warts, it is a good idea to consult a doctor. In most cases, the diagnosis can be made with a complete medical examination of the genitals.

How can we protect ourselves from infection?
It is recommended to abstain from sexual contact until the condylomas are removed, and to use condoms. Successful treatment and the absence of visible warts on the genitals reduce the possibility of transmitting the virus from person to person. The likelihood of infection with condylomas increases with the number of sexual partners.

How are condylomas treated?
No method has been found for the complete elimination of HPV with medications. It has been established that a person with a good immune system can fight off the virus on their own. The choice of treatment depends on the number, size, and location of the warts. They can be treated with creams or solutions applied to the condylomas according to a specific regimen.

When condylomas do not respond to the treatment applied or are very large, surgical methods are used. The involvement of an experienced surgeon is mandatory.

Under anesthesia, cauterization with electricity (electrocauterization), laser beam, or classical surgery are applied. Treatment of condylomas is difficult, and it should be kept in mind that it is possible for them to reappear after removal. This can happen due to new infection or weakening of the body's immunity. A necessary condition for excluding new infection is for an examination to be performed by a specialist and for all of the patient's sexual partners to be treated.