Different strains of HPV Genital warts?
April 13, 2009 by admin
I hear their are many different strains of HPV. If someone had all the 30+ different strains of Genital Warts would they have 30 different looking types of warts? If they had 5 different strains would they have 5 different warts? Or is it that the development and characteristics of the wart are dependant on the person, and while some people have warts that develop differently and in different places than other people, its not because its a different strain? Ill simplify it. Is the strain responsible for the way the wart looks, or is it the persons body thats responsible for the way the wart looks.
There are only 2 different strains of GENITAL WARTS- HPV type 6 and 11. HPV causes warts that appear over different areas of your body. Different strains causes warts to appear in different areas. If you have 30 different strains then the warts, will develop in lets say 13 different areas- being that 3 or 4 types causes warts in the same area. Warts look different depending upon what part of your body they affect and which type of HPV is involved.
Common wart (verruca vulgaris). A firm, raised, pink or skin coloured lump with a rough surface that may look like a cauliflower. Often seen alone or in clumps on the hands, fingers, elbows, knees or feet. They are usually smaller than a centimetre in diameter.
Plane wart (verruca plana). Small (1 – 5mm) smooth, flat topped or slightly raised. They affect face, hands, or legs and are usually skin coloured, light brown or greyish, but are sometimes pigmented. Can occur alone or in their hundreds.
Filiform wart. Long, slender growths on lips, eyelids, face or neck.
Plantar wart. Commonly known as verrucas, these occur on the soles of feet. They can be painful when under pressure. Small black dots can be seen on the surface under the callous.
Mosaic warts. These occur when a number of plantar warts group together into a cluster.
Genital warts
Certain types of HPV affect the genital area, causing a form of sexually transmissible wart (condylomata acuminata).