k HPVs are generally harmless, and the patient may never know they have them. High-risk HPVs can cause abnormal pap smears in at least some cases and at least some of them can lead to "cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, or penis" ("Human papillomavirus," 2006). Since HPVs show no symptoms aside from genital warts in some cases, the patient can carry the disease, spread it, and never know they are a carrier. That is why healthcare professionals urge everyone to be tested for these viruses. This way, they can be treated in time, and may not lead to cancer.
             One of the most common and well-known clues to the existence of HPV is genital warts, which are actually caused by the HPV virus, and appear as soft lumps or bumps in the genital area (some can be shaped like cauliflowers, while others resemble common warts). They can be pink or flesh-colored, and they can take weeks or months to show up after infection. They can appear singly or in clusters. While genital warts are almost an indicator of an HPV, not all HPVs cause genital warts. While most genital warts are spread strictly by sexual contact, there are cases of mothers can transmit the warts to their babies though the birth canal. Another, non-sexually transmitted strain of HPV causes common warts, especially those that appear on the hands and feet ("Human papillomavirus," 2006). Genital warts are far less common in men, and if they have them, they usually appear around the tip of the penis. In very rare cases, genital warts can form
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