Genital warts: A near-youth epidemic
I am totally aghast and bothered that STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are on the rise in the Philippines. We used to be a country with the least number of STD- infected persons, but now we are running in the race to the top. And what’s upsetting is not only the increase in the infected individuals but more so the escalation of cases among our youths, 15-24 years old. STDs are affecting young people at an unprecedented rate. Some of these youths don’t even know they are infected. Most of them would only know that they are infected three to five years later and by that time, they have already infected a lot of other people. STD is not restricted by age, it can infect anyone. Our youth are not equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with it so that they are the most vulnerable. And having genital warts is no exception.
One patient told me she only had two sexual partners, who included her recent one. So she asked me, “Why me? It is not a matter of how many sexual partners you have, what’s important is that the sexual partner is 100-percent clean, meaning he/she has no sexually transmitted disease of any kind. It’s funny, but I remember a guy patient telling me, “Doctor does that mean I have to inspect the genital area first before having sex?” It’s really weird, but my spontaneous answer was maybe you should. The reality is for you to first get to know your sexual partner and not plunge into sex only after several dates. The problem with our generation right now is that the kilig feeling is stronger than their sense of maturity to avoid sex before they really get to know a lot about their sexual partner.
What if it is STD without skin manifestation in the beginning like HIV? There’s no way you will know that you have it. In fact, some infected persons don’t even know they have it. It is also best to limit your sexual partners because the higher the number of sexual partners you have, the greater the risk for you to contract STD. Viruses are the scariest infection because there’s no sure cure for them. In this case, your own immune system bears the burden of seeing you through the disease.
Here are some facts one should know about the STD infection that’s on the rise among our youth.
• Genital warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). There are around 130 types of HPV, which makes this infection very common. In the Philippines, it is estimated that four out of five women may already have been exposed or infected by HPV.
• HPV can infect anyone who has ever had a sexual encounter. It is spread through skin-to-skin contact, not through an exchange of bodily fluids.
• Most sexually active adults will get HPV at some point in their lives, though most will never know it because HPV infection usually has no signs or symptoms.
• In most cases, the virus is harmless and most people have no symptoms. The body clears most HPV infections naturally.
• HPV can be contracted from one partner, remains dormant, and then later be unknowingly transmitted to another sexual partner, including a spouse.
• Though usually harmless, some types cause cervical cancer if not detected on time. Majority of women with an HPV infection will not develop cervical cancer, but a regular screening is crucial.
• Certain high-risk strains of HPV cause cervical lesions that, over a period of time, can develop into cancer if untreated (usually 10 to 20 years from the time of exposure). So women who are no longer sexually active should continue to be screened.
• In the US, about 11,000 cases are diagnosed each year and over 4,000 women die of cervical cancer each year.
• Cervical cancer is the first cancer in women to be identified as being caused almost exclusively by a virus.
• If an HPV infection is persistent past the age of 30, there is a greater risk of developing cervical cancer.
• Cervical cancer is completely preventable if precancerous cell changes are detected and treated early, before cervical cancer develops.
• A negative Pap smear does not mean you are free from genital warts or that you are outright free from cervical cancer. The virus sometimes does not completely go away and so warts may recur. Also, cervical cancer can develop later, after many years.
• High-risk HPV types are also linked to head and neck cancer though uncommon.
• Thirty percent of oral carcinoma is related to HPV. It is commonly seen in ages 20 to 39.
• The risk of contracting oropharyngeal cancer increases 3.4 times with six or more oral sex partners.
• Survival rate for those with HPV positive head and neck tumors is 85 percent in nonsmoking people, and drops to 45-50 percent for smokers.
• More than half of men who are sexually active in the US will have HPV at some time in their lives. It increases a man’s risk of getting genital (penile) cancer and rectal cancer for homosexuals mostly.
• Genital warts lead to several complications during pregnancy — warts may get larger, preventing the ability of the vagina to stretch during labor. Although very rarely, babies can be born with genital warts in their throats, causing difficulty in breathing.
• Treatments are available for the conditions caused by HPV (e.g. genital warts), but not the virus itself.
• It is not known how long a person remains contagious after warts are treated. It is also unclear whether informing subsequent sex partners about a past diagnosis of genital warts is beneficial to the health of those partners.
• Genital warts commonly recur after treatment, especially in the first three months.
• If one sex partner has genital warts, both sex partners benefit from getting screened for other STDs.
• Correct and consistent condom use can lower the chances of giving or getting genital warts, but such use is not fully protective because HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom. Therefore, latex condoms can reduce — but not totally eliminate — the risk of HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, hepatitis, herpes, etc.
* * *
For inquiries, call 09174976261, 09998834802 or 263-4094; email gc_bltran@yahoo.com.
