Risk factors for the acquisition of genital warts: are condoms protective?

Objectives: To characterise risk factors for the acquisition of genital war ts and specifically to determine whether condoms confer protection from inf ection. Methods: A retrospective case-control study comparing demographic, behaviou ral, and sexual factors in men and women with and without newly diagnosed g enital warts, who attended Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC), an inner cit y public sexual health centre, in 1996. Data were extracted from the SSHC d atabase. Crude odds ratios (OR) were calculated to compare cases and contro ls and significant factors were then controlled for using multivariate logi stic regression to obtain adjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results: 977 patients with warts and 977 controls matched by sex and date o f attendance were included. In both sexes, univariate analysis revealed tha t younger age, more lifetime sexual partners, failure to use condoms, great er cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with warts, an d there was a negative association with previous infection with Chlamydia t rachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, hepatitis B, and genital herpes. In male s, on multivariate analysis, factors which remained significant were younge r age, more lifetime sexual partners; failure to use condoms, greater cigar ette smoking, and previous chlamydia. In women, factors which remained sign ificant were younger age, more lifetime sexual partners, condom use, marita l status, and previous infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and herpes. Conclusions: Independent risk factors for genital warts include younger age , greater number of lifetime sexual partners, and smoking. Consistent condo m use significantly reduces the risk of acquiring genital warts.