What are genital warts? Condyloma, what’s that? Can it be cured?

These are questions that the Health Service is hearing a lot lately from students who have become infected with the Condyloma virus.

In 1989, the Health Service saw over 1100 cases of condyloma in 1989, making it the most commonly seen and rapidly growing sexually transmitted disease (STD) on campus.

Condyloma or genital warts is caused by a virus which is sexually transmitted. Once infected with the virus, you carry it for life.

The warts themselves, however, can be treated and removed.

Since the virus stays with you forever, preventing infection, becomes an important goal. One sure way to prevent infection is to practice sexual abstinence.

For those who choose to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activities, there are safer ways to have sex.

Safer sex means to refrain from those sexual activities which increase risk of transmission, there are safer ways to have sex.

Safer sex means to refrain from those sexual activities which increase risk of transmission, basically unprotected sexual intercourse and any exchange of sexual fluids or blood.

Additional tips for protection against wart viruses include:

Use latex condoms, especially ones containing a spermicide (Nonoxynol-9).

Have genital warts removed. If one partner in a sexual relationship develops genital warts, both partners should be examined and, if necessary, treated.

Unless both partners are checked, viral reinfection could occcur.

Generally, genital warts are pink, cauliflower growths in the moist genital/anal area of women and hard yellowish-grey growths in men.

Unfortunately, some people who are infected with this virus are asymptomatic (i.e., warts might not be present or they might be present and not visible).

Warts might also be in the vagina or the cervix of a woman or the urethra of a man.

Communicate with your partner regarding sexual history and activity. However, assume that every sexual contact increases the risk of infection.

Women should have an annual Pap smear and watch for symptoms such as bleeding after intercourse, unexplained spotting, or foul smelling discharge.

Don’t ignore an abnormal Pap smear result. If you have already been treated for genital warts, have a Pap smear as often as directed by your clinician.

For more information contact Health Enhancement Services, 3-9748 or the Gynecology Clinic, 3-9728.