When To Call A Professional

Contact your physician if you notice warts or bumps on your genital area, or if you have itching, burning, tenderness or pain in that area. Call your doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection, such as fever, chills or muscle aches.

Prognosis

Genital warts may go away on their own or with treatment. It is common for them to return. Certain strains of the virus (HPV), which causes genital warts, cause virtually all cases of cervical cancer worldwide, though only a small percentage of the women who become infected will develop cancer. Cervical cancer develops slowly over decades. If you have genital warts, you are also likely to have been infected with a cancer-causing strain of the virus. You should be sure to get Pap smears regularly.

Additional Info

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1600 Clifton Rd., NE Atlanta, GA 30333 Phone: (404) 639-3534 Toll-Free: (800) 311-3435 http://www.cdc.gov/