Genital warts, also called condylomata acuminata or venereal warts, are growths in the genital area caused by a sexually transmitted virus.

Genital warts are the most common sexually transmitted disease. It is estimated that 1% of sexually active people between the ages of 18 and 45 have genital warts; however, as many as 40% of sexually active adults are believed to carry the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes genital warts.

Genital warts vary somewhat in appearance. They may be either flat or resemble raspberries or cauliflowers. The warts begin as small red or pink growths and grow as large as four inches across, interfering with intercourse and childbirth. The warts grow in the moist tissues of the genital areas. In women, they occur on the external genitals and on the walls of the vagina and cervix; in men, they develop in the urethra and on the shaft of the penis...