Spreading of Anogenital Warts

Anogenital warts are the second most common sexually transmitted infection and it is transmitted through any kind of sexual contact. The virus remains on the surface of the skin so there must be skin-to-skin contact in the genital region in order for the virus to spread.

The virus can be spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex although the latter is quite rare. Also, there does not need to be penetrative sex in order for you to contract the infection because the skin just needs to be close enough for the virus to be passed on. You are more contagious when you have an outbreak of anogenital warts but you can still spread them whilst you do not have any of the symptoms so protected sex is essential. Always wear a condom because this can cover a vast majority of the area affected but remember that other regions of the genital area are not covered and the virus can be passed on by any of these areas. You can develop warts in the mouth and throat through oral sex so wear a dam or a condom for protection.

The virus can also be spread by sharing sex toys so avoid this and make sure that you clean your sex toys regularly to ensure that they are hygienic. The virus is easily spread if you have sexual contact whilst you are experiencing an outbreak so refrain from contact during this time and seek treatment. Unprotected sex is also a good way to spread the infection so always use barrier protection such as a condom. The virus can be spread to a child if you are pregnant so you will need to get treatment in order to protect this spread to your newborn.

There are some misconceptions about the spread of anogenital warts. You can get it from any intimate sexual contact but you will not contract the infection from towels, toilet seats, swimming pools sharing a bath, hugging someone or from sharing cutlery or glasses. This is because the virus cannot live without a host for very long so it cannot live on inanimate objects.

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