Genital warts (HPV infection) What causes genital warts? There are more than 100 different types of wart virus. Some infect hands, knees and feet, others the face, and others the genital area - caused by infection with the 'human papillomavirus' (HPV). More than 30 wart virus types can infect the genital area - some of these cause warts, but are very unlikely to lead to cancer. Which genital areas can be affected? Genital warts can be found on the skin around the genital area, vagina, cervix, penis, scrotum, urethra (urine opening) or anus. As tests become increasingly sophisticated, more and more adults are found to have some form of genital wart virus. It can be present as either genital warts or as an infection of the skin which is not visible to the naked eye - this is called 'subclinical infection'. Other wart virus types are related to cervical cancer , but rarely cause warts. You may be infected with more than one wart virus type at the same time. How common is wart virus infection? At least 75% of adults having sexual intercourse will have a genital wart virus infection at some time of their life, most commonly between 18 and 28 years of age. Only about a quarter of these will develop warts. How is genital wart virus spread? The virus lives only in the surface layers of genital skin, and is not transmitted via blood or body fluid, eg. semen. Genital forms of the virus target the