Causes of Genital Warts

What Causes Genital Warts?

Genital warts are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV for short. There are over 100 different types of HPV. Of these, 30 types are spread through sexual contact, making HPV one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

 

Types of HPV That Cause Genital Warts

Of the more than 30 types of HPV that are transmitted sexually, several can cause genital warts. Most (over 90 percent) are caused by HPV-6 and HPV-11. Other types that can cause genital warts include:

 

Can Common Warts Cause Genital Warts?

Besides causing genital warts, HPV is also the cause of a number of other types of warts, including plantar warts, common warts, and flat warts. However, the types of HPV that cause these warts are usually different from those that cause genital warts. Therefore, although common warts could be spread into the genital area, it is not likely.