Female genital warts: global trends and treatments.
The increasing incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV-associated conditions such as genital warts in women is a global concern. Genital warts are a clinical manifestation of HPV types 6 and 11, and are estimated to affect 1% of sexually active adults aged between 15 and 49. HPV infection is also strongly associated with cervical cancer, and is prevalent in as many as 99% of cases. The psychological stress of having genital warts is often greater than the morbidity of the disease, and therefore successful treatment is crucial. Current treatments are patient-applied and provider-administered therapies. Imiquimod 5% cream, a patient-applied therapy, is an efficacious treatment with tolerable side-effects and a low recurrence rate, and has the potential to be an effective strategy for the management of genital warts.
Gall
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Louisville, KY 40202, USA. sagall@louisville.edu
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D015994:Incidence; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000077271:Imiquimod