Human papillomavirus: warts and anogenital disease
Low-risk and high-risk HPV types, common, plantar and plane warts, anogenital warts and their Australian treatment, warts and skin cancer in transplant recipients, single-dose Gardasil 9, cervical screening, and the 2025 Australian anal cancer screening guideline for people with HIV.
Tier 1Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- HPV is a double-stranded DNA virus that infects keratinocytes. Over 200 types: some cause cutaneous warts, low-risk mucosal types (6, 11) cause anogenital warts, and high-risk types (16, 18 and others) cause cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, penile and vulvar cancer.
- Most infections clear on their own within 1 to 2 years. Persistence, especially in immunosuppression, drives disease.
- Wart treatment is destructive or immune-stimulating, and cosmetic rather than curative. Many resolve untreated.
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Sources
- Aldara (imiquimod) Australian Product Information, sections 4.1 and 4.6AU/NZmedsinfo.com.au (sponsor Product Information), 2026
- Australian STI Management Guidelines for Use in Primary Care: anogenital wartsAU/NZASHM (Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine), Current online edition, checked November 2026
- Australian Immunisation Handbook: human papillomavirus (HPV)AU/NZAustralian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Current online edition (single-dose schedule from February 2023); page not reachable for re-check, November 2026
- National Cervical Screening Program: guidelines for the management of screen-detected abnormalitiesAU/NZCancer Council Australia and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Current online edition (not re-checked, November 2026)
- Poynten IM et al. Australian guidelines for anal cancer screening using anal human papillomavirus testing with cytology triage in people living with HIV. HIV Med 2025;26:1930-8AU/NZASHM Health and HIV Medicine, 2025
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Dermatology (viral warts)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited (eTG complete), Version 5, 2022 (no newer edition found, November 2026)
- Palefsky JM et al. Treatment of anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions to prevent anal cancer (ANCHOR). N Engl J Med 2022;386:2273-82New England Journal of Medicine, 2022
- Ali H et al. Genital warts in young Australians five years into national human papillomavirus vaccination programme: national surveillance data. BMJ 2013;346:f2032AU/NZBMJ, 2013
- Kwok CS et al. Topical treatments for cutaneous warts. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;CD001781Cochrane, 2012
- Cockayne S et al. Cryotherapy versus salicylic acid for the treatment of plantar warts (EVerT): a randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2011;342:d3271BMJ, 2011
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
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