Can warts on the hands be spread to the genitals?

[bakihanmax]

I have two possible warts on my hands and all the things that i have read on how warts are spread has not given me any straight professional answers. I am concerned that the warts on my hand will spread to the genitals or other parts of my body if i touch them, some tell me that they are very contagious and not to touch anywhere else and other sites have told me that you can only have warts on certain parts of your body depending on what strain of HPV you have contracted, if anybody knows for sure it would be very appreciated. Thank you

[PrudentPA]

I know this post is old, but in case anyone else comes here for info, I want to make sure they have correct info.  I am a Physician Assistant and have read several scholarly articles about the subject.  Let me reference one in particular:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2083049/

This article is specifically referencing genital warts in children and what they mean, but it discusses the different types of transmission: vertical (mother to child) and horizontal (other relative or caregiver to child).  It discusses the probabilities of innocently passing warts to children or whether you always have to assume sexual abuse.  Feel free to read the article in its entirety, but the bottom line is that while innocent horizontal transmission is not as likely (e.g. a common finger wart to the genitals), it is entirely possible and does happen.  Therefore, a prudent practitioner cannot base sexual abuse on the presence of genital warts alone.  It can pass from finger warts during diaper changes, etc.

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.  It's not something to freak out about, but it is possible and does happen.  However, if you pass a common wart (now discovered to usually be strain 27) to the genitals, it will not be what people think of as a genital wart.  It will technically be a wart on your genitals but will not be of the sexually-transmitted type that is more easily spread and can lead to related strains and cervical cancers, etc.  You would treat a common wart on your genitals like any other common wart.  It just happens to be on your genitals.  You can treat it by freezing or just wait for it to go away on its own, which most do, and you don't have to worry about more coming back, because you don't have the sexually-transmitted type.  =)

[tvb773]

Please do not post misleading information.  HSV1 and 2 are not warts, but herpes viruses and they obviously do affect genitalia quite frequently (as does HPV/warts).  You are confusing warts with herpes and you are still getting your facts wrong.  Are you really a doctor?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Warts of hands are caused by HSV 1 warts of genitalia are caused by HSV -2. HSV 2 is mostly passed through intercourse and it is difficult to get warts of hands transferred to genitalia but it is not impossible. Generally HSV does not affect genitalia but in very few cases, it can do so.
Hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[BunkBed]

'Another thing, most doctors can only say "very unlikely", but when they say that, they are just being politically correct.  There are always rare cases no matter what disease you're talking about but basically they mean practically impossible.'

If there are rare cases of cross site infection then surely that means that people are correct in saying that its 'very unlikely' as opposed to 'no'?

[theterminator5476]

No, you cannot spread warts on your hands to your genitals because the viruses that cause either condition are two totally different viruses.  All warts, by virtue of being a wart, is contagious but genital warts are much, much more contagious than warts on your hand which are significantly less contagious than genital warts.  You will read many opinions on the Internet, especially on forums with people saying that "it is possible" or "there's a chance" of spreading hand warts to your genitals, but again the answer is no.  If you pay attention, these opinions are those of non-professionals who do not work in medicine or deal with real cases of STDs.

The virus that causes warts on your hands are usually caused by HPV 1 or 2.  Those that cause most cases of genital warts are HPV 6 or 11.  But remember, HPV is just a label, a name people have decided to name the two different viruses, so don't let the name fool you.  The viruses, again, are totally different viruses and are unrelated.  The hand wart virus cannot live on your genitals and likewise the genital wart virus cannot live on your hands (though there is some evidence that if you rub your genital warts then say rub someone else's genitals then you can spread it that way since the virus can be on the surface of your skin for a little bit of time since genital warts are more contagious but the vast majority of cases are spread through old-fashioned sex).

Another thing, most doctors can only say "very unlikely", but when they say that, they are just being politically correct.  There are always rare cases no matter what disease you're talking about but basically they mean practically impossible.

Neither virus can live in either part of the body, it does not like that area and cannot sustain itself there.  The virus dies basically in an area that it does not have proclivity for being in.  So, rest easy.  You cannot spread hand warts to your genitals.