Cancer risks in wart virus

By FRANCESCA MOLD

Men are the "vectors" for a wart virus scientifically proven to be linked to the development of cervical cancer, according to a gynaecologist.

Ron Jones told the Gisborne inquiry yesterday that 100 per cent of invasive cervical cancer cases were associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV), also known as a wart virus.

In the past, women who had had more than one sex partner had been regarded as being at high risk of catching the virus and developing cervical cancer.

But Mr Jones said yesterday it was important to move away from the judgment that there were "high-risk women."

He said in fact men were the "vectors."

He told the inquiry studies that looked at populations where the male partner was "transient" showed the women were at high risk of cervical cancer.

There are 60 types of the wart virus and some varieties are shown to cause changes to the vagina and cervix called displasia - a pre-malignant condition.

HPV is passed on through sexual contact of any kind and cannot be prevented by using condoms.

HPV can lie dormant in the cervix for 20 years before causing warts or changes to the cells in the cervix.

It is estimated only one in 100 people with HPV will actually experience the physical signs of warts.

The virus can be picked up in smear tests.