Of anogenital warts, 90% are caused by nononcogenic HPV types 6 or 11; these types can be commonly identified before or at the same time anogenital warts are detected (767). HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, and 35 are also occasionally found in anogenital warts (usually as co-infections with HPV 6 or 11) and can be associated with foci of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), particularly in persons who have HIV infection. In addition to anogenital warts, HPV types 6 and 11 have been associated with conjunctival, nasal, oral, and laryngeal warts.
Anogenital warts are usually asymptomatic, but depending on the size and anatomic location, they can be painful or pruritic. They are usually flat, papular, or pedunculated growths on the genital mucosa. Anogenital warts occur commonly at certain anatomic sites, including around the vaginal introitus, under the foreskin of the uncircumcised penis, and on the shaft of the circumcised penis. Warts can also occur at multiple sites in the anogenital epithelium or within the anogenital tract (e.g., cervix, vagina, urethra, perineum, perianal skin, anus, and scrotum). Intra-anal warts are observed predominantly in persons who have had receptive anal intercourse, but they also can occur in men and women who have not had a history of anal sexual contact.
Diagnostic Considerations
Diagnosis of anogenital warts is usually made by visual inspection. The diagnosis of anogenital warts can be confirmed by biopsy, which is indicated if lesions are atypical (e.g., pigmented, indurated, affixed to underlying tissue, bleeding, or ulcerated lesions). Biopsy might also be indicated in the following circumstances, particularly if the patient is immunocompromised (including those infected with HIV): 1) the diagnosis is uncertain; 2) the lesions do not respond to standard therapy; or 3) the disease worsens during therapy. HPV testing is not recommended for anogenital wart diagnosis, because test results are not confirmatory and do not guide genital wart management.
Treatment
The aim of treatment is removal of the wart and amelioration of symptoms, if present. The appearance of warts also can result in significant psychosocial distress, and removal can relieve cosmetic concerns. In most patients, treatment results in resolution of the wart(s). If left untreated, anogenital warts can resolve spontaneously, remain unchanged, or increase in size or number. Because warts might spontaneously resolve within 1 year, an acceptable alternative for some persons is to forego treatment and wait for spontaneous resolution. Available therapies for anogenital warts might reduce, but probably do not eradicate, HPV infectivity. Whether the reduction in HPV viral DNA resulting from treatment reduces future transmission remains unknown.
Recommended Regimens
Treatment of anogenital warts should be guided by wart size, number, and anatomic site; patient preference; cost of treatment; convenience; adverse effects; and provider experience. No definitive evidence suggests that any one recommended treatment is superior to another, and no single treatment is ideal for all patients or all warts. The use of locally developed and monitored treatment algorithms has been associated with improved clinical outcomes and should be encouraged. Because all available treatments have shortcomings, some clinicians employ combination therapy (e.g., provider-administered cryotherapy with patient-applied topical therapy between visits to the provider). However, limited data exist regarding the efficacy or risk for complications associated with combination therapy. Treatment regimens are classified as either patient-applied or provider-administered modalities. Patient-applied modalities are preferred by some persons because they can be administered in the privacy of their home. To ensure that patient-applied modalities are effective, instructions should be provided to patients while in the clinic, and all anogenital warts should be accessible and identified during the clinic visit. Follow-up visits after several weeks of therapy enable providers to answer any questions about the use of the medication and address any side effects experienced; follow-up visits also facilitate the assessment of the response to treatment.
