Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (
HPV). Of the 30
types of HPV that are transmitted through sexual contact, several can cause genital warts. These types include HPV-30, HPV-40 through 45, HPV-51, and HPV-54. However, the most common genital warts causes are HPV-6 and HPV-11.
HPV is also the cause of several other types of warts, including plantar warts, common warts, and flat warts. However, the types of HPV that cause these warts are typically different from those that cause genital warts. While common warts could be spread into the genital area, it is not likely.
(Click Causes of Genital Warts for more information on the various types of human papillomavirus and how transmission occurs. You can also click any of the links in the box to the right for specific information.)
