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11th January 2015
05:00pm GMT

What are the symptoms?
It can take weeks or months to develop warts after contracting HPV.
However, not everyone who has HPV has warts, thus the virus can be passed on without realizing and it can also be passed on after warts have been treated or are gone.
In most cases, they do not cause physical discomfort. There may be some irritation or soreness, and can bleed or be the cause of pain during intercourse.
Do anogenital warts cause any complications?
They are not serious, but can be extremely unsightly. Some people opt to leave them alone without treatment.
How do I get tested?
Anogenital warts can normally be diagnosed by your GP or nurse by their appearance when you are examined.
Tests are not usually needed to confirm the diagnosis, but other swab tests may be taken to check for other infections.
What is the treatment?
There are a number of different treatments but each usually takes a number of weeks to clear the warts – sometimes, it may take as long as six months.
It has been reported that smokers do not tend to respond as well to treatments.
There is also the chance that the warts can return after treatment.
How can I prevent it?
Condoms help to prevent HPV from being passed on, though they do not completely protect you as the skin that is not covered by a condom may become infected.
If you believe that you have any sexually transmitted infection, you should make an appointment to see your GP.
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