Throat and Genital Warts

[parasail28]

Doctor -

I have been diagnosed recently with both throat and genital HPV warts. They came on simultaneously.

Are throat HPV warts the same as genital warts?

Do they always come on simutaneously if one has both?

Can they, like genital warts, be hard to identify because of a minute size, thereby sometimes being present but not noticeable?

Can they be treated like genital warts?

Can they like genital warts go into remission?

Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

2.  Although little is known about oral transmission of HPV, closed mouth lissing should not transmit warts located in the back of your throat

3.  If your warts are treated/removed and have not recurred after 3 months, ther eis little dhance that they will recur or that you will transmit infection to others.

4.  In the genital location, warts typically resolve in 9-24 months.  Less is known about oral HPV but it is likely to be similar.

5.  No, not in adults'

EWH

[parasail28]

Thank you.

I did not recieve a confirmation to my comment on your resposne from MedHelp so I am resubmitting it.  I apologize if this a problem.

1. My warts are in the back of my throat and will be biopsied on Monday.  

2. I have kissed on the lips, closed-mouth several people since my diagnosis of genital warts a week ago and prior to the inital diagnosis of warts on the throat.  IF I do have HPV warts on the back of my throat, have I put those people I have kissed at risk of contracting the throat HPV warts?

3. If I do have throat AND gential warts, will all future partners be at risk of being infected by one or both subsequent to these outbreaks healing?  

3.  If I chose not to have treatment for the warts on the throat, how long will it take them to go away on average?

4. Can warts grow in the throat without treatment to such a size and number that they prevent swallowing?

Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  If you don't mind, can you tell me how your diagnosis of oral warts was made?  By "throat" genital warts I suspect you mean in your mouth as HPV infection of the throat is very rare. In fact, to even be diagnosed with oral warts is rather unusual; infection by HPV of the oral cavity is a relatively recently described concern and rapidly evolving scientific field for which there is much misunderstanding.  In most people HPV type 11, which is one of the two types of HPV that cause visible genital warts, is the most common cause of oral cavity warts.  In answer to your questions:

1.  See above.
2.  It is quite unusual to have both.  There is no reason that they should come on at the same time.
3.  Yes. In addition, like genital warts, without a biopsy to prove that they are in fact warts, other, non-STD normal findings and other processes can be mis-identified as warts.
4 & 5.  Yes they can be readily treated if need be.  In most people however they will also go away by themselves.  

Hope this helps.  EWH