The Health Protection Agency researched and published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, that genital warts cost the NHS in England almost £17 million a year.

According to the author, a large number of cases and costs of genital warts could be prevented by using the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

The calculations are based on the number of cases of genital warts seen in GP surgeries, sexual health clinics (genitourinary medicine or GUM) and in hospitals using data from 2008.

Results showed, that England had approximately 149,000 cases of genital warts in 2008, subdivided into 80,500 new and 68,000 recurrent cases after costs of consultation and treatment time were collated and analyzed.

Whilst three out of four cases were treated only in GUM clinics, a further one in five was seen by a GP and subsequently referred to a GUM clinic. Hospital care was required for 1 % of patients with GP’s treating the remaining 5 % without referrals.

The study reported an average individual cost of £113 in 2008 per case for the diagnosis and treatment of genital warts in England. The cost includes those for general practice, GUM clinic, and hospital care, totaling an expense for the NHS of £17 million.

Patients with genital warts attending GUM clinics are also offered Sexual health screens providing benefits relating to other sexually transmitted infections; however, the cost of the screening, an additional £7.8 million, is not included in this study.

The UK currently uses a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine immunization program, targeting HPV 16 and 18, which cause over 70% of cervical cancers. Since 2008, the UK routinely offers vaccination against HPV to girls aged 12 to 13, reporting a coverage of 80%. Girls aged 18 are being offered the vaccination in a catch-up campaign with a documented coverage of 50%.

According to the author, a large number of cases and costs of genital warts could be prevented by using the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which targets HPV 6 and 11 – the cause of most genital warts – as well as HPV 16 and 18.

Written by Petra Rattue