Genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different strains or types. More than 30 of these are sexually transmitted, and they can infect the genital area, like the skin of the penis, vulva, labia or anus, or the tissues covering the vagina and cervix.

Some of these viruses are considered "high-risk" and may cause abnormal Pap smears and cancer of the cervix, anus and penis. Others are "low-risk," and they may cause mild Pap smear abnormalities and genital warts.

Genital warts are single or multiple growths or bumps that appear in the genital area and sometimes form a cauliflower-like shape. Warts can appear within several weeks after sexual contact with an infected person, or they can take months or even years to appear.

Genital warts are diagnosed by inspection. There is no cure for HPV, although the infection usually goes away on its own. Cancer-related types are more likely to persist. Visible genital warts can be removed, but no treatment is better than another, and no single treatment is ideal for all cases.