infections
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection
Treatment of HPV Infection
Usually, treating lesions with topical medications or freezing (cryotherapy) Sometimes, treating or removing lesions with laser, electrocautery, or surgery If the immune system is healthy, it often eventually controls HPV and eliminates the virus. HPV infection is gone after 8 months in half of people and lasts longer than 2 years in fewer than 10%. Sometimes genital warts will go away, even without treatment. If people with genital warts have a weakened immune system, treatment is required, and the warts often return. For genital warts, topical medications applied directly to the warts include podophyllin toxin,imiquimod, trichloroacetic acid, orsinecatechins(an ointment made from extracts ofgreen tea). This approach requires many applications over weeks to months, may burn the surrounding skin, and is usually, but not always, effective. The warts may return after apparently successful treatment. If topical medications are not effective, warts may be removed with a laser or an electric current (electrocautery) or by freezing (cryotherapy) or surgery. A local or general anesthetic is used, depending on the number and size of the warts to be removed. For warts in the urethra, a viewing tube (endoscope) with surgical attachments may be the most effective way to remove them, but this procedure requires a general anesthetic. Medications, such asthiotepainserted into the urethra or the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracilinjected into the wart, are often effective. Interferon-alpha injections into the wart have been found to be somewhat effective. All sex partners should be examined for warts and other STIs and treated, if necessary. Sex partners should also have regular examinations to check for HPV infection. Precancerous lesions of the cervix (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or CIN) are managed based on how severe the changes are, with either more frequent Pap tests, often with HPV testing, or a large cervical biopsy (called a cone biopsy or a loop electrocautery excision procedure, or LEEP). 