stds, genital warts, wart virus

[seihonnoo.livejournal.com]

This is probably a silly question but I'm going to ask it anyways.

My last pap smear was abnormal so I had to go back for more testing. The test results came back and said I have the wart virus. Apparently there is a wart on my cervix?

Does this mean I have genital warts? Does this mean I have an std? If so, what do I do about this? Have any good everything-you-want-to-know-about-genital-wart links? :)

I always thought I was really careful. >.> That being said, anyone know of some good "how to have completely safe fooling around/sex" books or online articles? I'm finding my sex education to be a bit lacking.

Thanks in advanced! :)

Edits: I guess something I should add is that I'm as interested in safe intercourse as I am in safe oral sex and safe fingering. ;) I haven't had a penis in my vagina, but I have done a bit of oral sex.
That being said, I have been recently fingered by a man with a wart on his hand, could that be the reason for the wart on my cervix? One HPV strand causes warts on hands and other places on the body. Another strand of HPV is genital warts. And yet another strand of HPV can cause warts on the cervix (genital warts can also do this, but it isn't as likely). Am I getting this right?

Comments

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

Then why is it called "wart virus"? ;)

It isn't really, in my experience, though I can see how someone might say that. Basically, more people are familiar with HPV as the virus that can cause genital warts, so some doctors might think saying "wart virus" instead of HPV might make it more clear. However, it is not generally referred to as the "wart virus."

But yes, your doctor was definitely referring to HPV. Basically, there are two types of HPV strains: the low-risk ones, which can cause genital warts, and the high-risk ones, which can cause lesions on the cervix, abnormal paps and, in very rare cases, cervical cancer.

Most people who get an HPV infection of either strain will never show symptoms, either a wart or an abnormal pap. Some, however, do.

The majority of the time, women with cervical abnormalities caused by HPV will not need medical intervention. Usually, the body is able to clear the infection on its own within two years. However, regular pap testing is important to ensure that the virus does not continue to develop to a higher grade of lesion, which could potentially become cancerous.

And I should be practicing safe oral sex (especially since this is an STD), by putting some barrier between my vagina area and the other person mouth? And really, I should always be doing this. Correct?

It's up to you. My partner and I would not find this necessary, although it is something you will want to discuss with your partners. It is thought that HPV infection via oral sex increases the likelihood of oral cancer, (http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/news/20070827/hpv-linked-to-throat-cancer-trend) though like cervical cancer, that doesn't mean that getting an oral HPV infection will usually lead to oral cancer... it just means that it increases the (very small chance) that this will occur.

[goddessdeath.livejournal.com]

Everything the person above me said...

Like they said, they are called "lesions" on the cervix, not warts...Think more like abnormal cells.