[Clinical aspects and therapy of anogenital warts and papillomavirus-associated lesions].

There is a series of different therapies for the treatment of anogenital warts. Home therapy should be reserved only for initial therapy of simple cases. Such approaches include podophyllotoxin solution, podophyllotoxin cream,imiquimod cream and adjuvant interferon gel. Recurrent disease and disseminated disease must be treated by the physician. Choice of therapy depends on the morphology, the extent of the disease and also on the immunological status of the patient. Therapy should be discussed between the physician and the patient. Whatever therapy will be chosen, HPV DNA can persist latently in surrounding tissue and may lead to recurrence of visible lesions. Long-standing warts can undergo malignant conversion; intraepithelial neoplasias such as Bowen's disease, erythroplasia of Queyrat and bowenoid papulosis are especially prone to develop into squamous-cell carcinoma. Thus adequate therapy and thorough follow-up are mandatory in such cases. In the future therapies directed against HPV specifically will be available. They should lead both to destruction and complete clearance of visible lesions and also should prevent recurrences. Ideally HPV should be eliminated completely from the treated tissue.