Studies have shown genital warts to be the second commonest sexually transmitted disease. HPV1 and HPV2 are the pathogens that cause common warts. The same pathogens are known to cause genital warts too. These warts are highly contagious and spread quickly upon contact.

These warts may at times itch or burn or often have no symptoms at all. There also may be carriers of the virus who show no symptoms at all. However, the virus can still be passed on to others from such people. It often happens that men do not show any signs of genital warts but carry the virus. This gets passed on to their sexual partners and upon finding a suitable area for growth, it manifests as visible warts.

The incubation period of a virus is the time taken for the virus to show up as a symptom after the initial contact. The HPV virus has a long incubation period that typically ranges from three weeks to eight months. The average incubation period for the HPV virus has been estimated to be three months. However, there have been cases when the HPV virus has surfaced only years after exposure.

Medical practitioners hold varying views on the possible reasons for this. One logical reason however is that contracting the virus may depend upon a person?s immune system. Viral infections, though highly contagious, do not spread as widely as bacterial ones do. But as viruses like the HPV virus have very long incubation periods it is possible that they just remain latent and surface as soon as there is a weakness in the body?s armor i.e., the immune system.

It is very difficult to determine how a person contracted the HPV virus, as the virus has a very long incubation period. It is for this reason that medical practitioners advise safe sexual practices as the only method of prevention of exposure to the HPV virus.