HPV and Its Impact on Health: Common Concerns Explained - Urology

Dr. Xu Weikai reply Urology

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S: Hello, please relax for a moment while I briefly introduce this condition known as genital warts.
It is not a very serious sexually transmitted infection, but it can be quite troublesome.
To put it simply, this condition is just a viral infection and is relatively easy to treat.
Local treatment through cauterization or the use of certain chemical ointments (such as those containing podophyllin, which are not easily available and can only be found in larger pharmacies, costing around $1500-2500, which is quite expensive but very effective, and not covered by health insurance) can effectively cure it.

However, why did I say it can be troublesome? This may seem contradictory! This is because the virus has a long incubation period during which it hides in the mucous membranes without causing any symptoms, effectively being asymptomatic but still contagious, which can last up to 3 months.
This leads to the issue of the virus potentially being transmitted back and forth between partners, like a game of ping pong.
Therefore, I generally recommend that both partners undergo treatment together.
Additionally, this virus can survive in the air or on dry surfaces for up to 24-48 hours.
There was a case where a doctor found this virus on a mouse in an internet café, which illustrates this point.
Localized foul odor may indicate a local infection that is not necessarily related to genital warts.
Generally, if there are no lesions for over 3 months, it can be considered healed, but we usually recommend consulting a gynecologist for a colposcopy to confirm.
As for whether newborns can be infected during natural birth, there is a possibility, but it is not significant.
The risk is higher during breastfeeding or through contact if hands are not washed or if the carrier is still infectious, leading to the child becoming infected (meaning that there are still infected family members).
As mentioned earlier with the ping pong theory, the virus can be passed to the child through contact, such as a mother touching or a father kissing the child...
(which is why this is considered a troublesome sexually transmitted infection).
Let’s see, I might have missed some questions.
Can blood tests be used for diagnosis? I’m not sure; in my clinical experience, diagnosing genital warts is usually based on visual inspection of the lesions, and very few people use blood tests for diagnosis.
As for accuracy? I really don’t have experience with that.
Here are my recommendations:
1.
Find a hospital or clinic that has both dermatology and gynecology departments, and take both partners and children for examination to confirm if there are any remaining lesions.
If there are, seek prompt treatment, and during the treatment period, absolutely use condoms throughout.
2.
Get tested for HIV, syphilis, and other serological tests, as many patients with sexually transmitted infections have multiple infections (the external environment is even more complex).
3.
If all tests are normal, repeat steps 1 and 2 after 3 months (during this time, ensure there are no opportunities for reinfection).
If you are fortunate enough to still have no lesions and all serologies are normal, congratulations, your family’s nightmare is over.

Stay relaxed and think positively; genital warts rarely lead to serious consequences, so at least that’s good news! Wishing you and your family well, and I hope this response provides you with practical assistance.

Urology Department Chief, Hsu Wei-Kai, Response to the Taitung Hospital of the Department of Health, caring for you.

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Reply Date: 2005/04/15