Genital warts are transmitted from an infected partner during sexual contacts; if genital warts are not treated early it could become life threatening. Genital warts occur in people between the age group of 17 and 40; also persons who are sexually active are easily prone to this disease. More than 20% of the people who are infected with it have the symptoms of STD (sexually transmitted disease). It leads to cervical cancer if not detected and treated at the earliest.

Human Papilloma Virus is also one of the key factors that stimulate the growth of genital warts. Few of other causes of genital warts are multiple sex partners, regular use of birth control pills, indulging in sex at an early stage, etc. Signs of genital warts are not known immediately to the infected victim, it takes more than nine months for the virus to incubate.

Symptoms are rarely noticeable at an early stage, but with the progression of disease symptoms become clearly visible. Once a victim is exposed to virus, small fleshy soft tissues arise in the genital area and it is painless and hardly noticed by the patient.

They are diagnosed through colposcopy, small cauliflower shaped tissues can be found while examination. Biopsy of the vaginal tissue and testing out for HPV genetic material helps to rule out the infection in patients. Also it can be detected at home with acetic acid (vinegar), swabbing the penis or cervix with vinegar swab makes HPV affected area to appear whitish.

Symptoms are

(a)Small lump tissues, painless but are itchier in nature.
(b)It forms as swollen muscles in the form of cauliflower when warts join together.
(c) Snowy discharge from genital organs.
(d) Swollen bumps that discharges and bleed.
(e) Mild fever accompanied with nausea or vomiting.
(f) Incontinence or burning sensation while passing urine.
(g) Sore throat or runny nose

There are some specific signs of disease such as genital warts (soft raised tissues) in penis, anus and in scrotum of men. In females it usually occurs in moist areas especially the labia minora, labia majora, vaginal area and cervix. Few infected women experience bleeding after intercourse or have occasional vaginal discharge.

Disease can spread even if one of the partners is infected with genital warts (i.e.) either male or female.

There are so many drugs and medications to treat it, but most drugs cause unwanted damage rather than good. Adverse effects outweigh the goodness produced during treatment.

But still there are few drugs that can produce healing effects and cure the disease without producing any side effects. So choose the drug carefully so that one infected with it can get healed safely without facing any unwanted effects.



A standard HIV test looks for antibodies in a person’s blood. When HIV enters a person’s body, special proteins are produced and these are called p24 antigens. These antigens then quickly disappear and are replaced by antibodies. Antibodies are the body’s response to an infection. So if a person has antibodies to HIV in their blood, it means they have been infected with HIV.

There are only two exceptions to this rule. Firstly, babies born to positive mothers retain their mother’s antibodies for up to 18 months, which means they may test positive on an HIV antibody test, even if they are actually HIV negative. This is why babies born to positive mothers may receive a PCR test after birth. Secondly, some people who have taken part in HIV vaccine trials may have HIV antibodies even if they are not infected with the virus

What is a PCR test

PCR tests detect the genetic material of HIV itself, and can identify HIV in the blood within two or three weeks of infection.

Most people develop detectable HIV antibodies within 6 to 12 weeks of infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months. It is exceedingly unlikely that someone would take longer than 6 months to develop antibodies.

Getting tested earlier than 3 months may result in an unclear test result, as an infected person may not yet have developed antibodies to HIV. However, the person may already have high levels of HIV in their blood, sexual fluids or breast milk. Someone can transmit HIV to another person during the window period even though they do not test positive on an antibody test. So it is best to wait for at least 3 months after the last time you were at risk before taking the test, and abstain from unprotected sex or drug use with shared needles in the meantime.

Not-so-good things about testing

There are some things about having an HIV test that aren’t so good:

* Finding out that you are positive can be very stressful and your quality of life might suffer.

* If others know you have HIV you might get bad reactions or feel that you are being talked about, although many people get good reactions too.

* Travel restrictions apply to people with HIV and you may be restriced or denied entry into a country

* If you have had a positive HIV test result it can be difficult, although not impossible, to get life insurance and/or a mortgage.

* If you are prepared for these in advance, they can make it easier to take the decision to have a test, and deal with the after-effects.

* Whatever you decide there is support for you to help you reach that decision.

Being diagnosed as hiv positive is a very stressing thing to undertake but it does get better as time goes on. There is much help and support available so please use it and dont ignore it.

HIV home test kits can be very beneficial but it depends on your individual circumstances as to whether you should choose a home test kit or to be tested within a facility. A very important thing to know about HIV home test kits is that they are FDA approved. Not all home test kits are the same, so be sure to compare the home kits to make sure you know what you are getting. Also ensure that you are buying an FDA approved kit, because some companies sell kits that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

HIV home test kits that are FDA approved provide nearly 100% accuracy. This accuracy is up to six months after an individual has been possibly exposed to the HIV virus. This test is not as easy as people may think. You must be thorough when deciding to take it. Included within the test is plenty of material that needs to be read in order for you to know how to take the test correctly. It is recommended that should you decide to take a home test for HIV, you have a minimum of two hours to do so. This will give you time to read through all of the materials and to take the test itself.

You may choose to use HIV home test kits because perhaps you fear going to a clinic. If you are afraid of being seen inside a clinic that tests for HIV, you may feel more comfortable taking the test by yourself. This way, no one outside of your home will have to know about it. However, you should be aware that taking the test at home costs more than going to a local clinic in many cases. If you decide to take the test at home, you can purchase online, over the phone or in store.

Beware of HIV home test kits that claim you can receive your results without sending in work to a lab. These same tests or other tests may also claim that you can know these results in as little as 15 minutes. These tests are not approved by the FDA, and therefore present an unknown accuracy rate. You may see these companies advertise on the Internet, but if they do not have FDA approval, you have no real way of knowing that you received accurate results. Ultimately, it is your decision to decide whether HIV home test kits are right for you.

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV or AIDS, through unprotected sex with a stranger or accidental exposure to an infected person’s blood, then there’s no time to delay – an HIV test is essential, both for your peace of mind and for the sake of your health. Here are the essential facts that you need to know about HIV and AIDS…