Hi Sarah,

Thank you for your question. I believe you are asking whether any sexually transmitted infection (STI) other than Human Papillomavirus (HPV) or genital warts can cause warts. STIs can cause a great variety of symptoms, and often those are dependent on the person. While HPV and genital warts are the two STIs mostly known to cause warts, syphilis can also cause small, painless sores to appear around the genitals.

If you want to be absolutely certain, the best way to find out would be to visit a doctor for a Pap smear and a gynecological exam. Even if you haven’t had sex for eight months, it is still possible that your warts are being caused by an STI, as in many cases, symptoms do not appear right away.

The best way to prevent an STI is through open communication and knowledge of your partner’s sexual activities and sexual past. The use of barrier methods, such as a condom, also helps to prevent STIs by creating, as the name suggests, a barrier between your genitalia and your partner’s. However, even the use of a condom does not fully protect against herpes virus or Human Papillomavirus. If you are uncertain, you can always get confidential testing at an STI clinic and ask your partner to do the same. Alternatively, your family doctor or gynecologist would also be able to perform the tests.

Hope this helps, and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions!

Lauren, for AlterHeros