Background CSSSRN is a regional hospital of 240 acute-care beds with a STD clinic which works mainly with clinical nurses, under the supervision of Infectious Diseases physicians (ID). This study aimed to review the clinical data of patients with genital warts.

Methods All files from patients with genital warts evaluated in our STD clinic between 2005 and 2010 were reviewed for clinical data including the delays before consultation. All data were analysed with Epi Info 3.5.2.

Results From 2005 to 2010, an average of 5950 patients per year attended our STD clinic, and 70% were women. A total of 656 cases of genital warts were diagnosed by visual inspection from the attending ID physician. The specific types of lesions were warts associated with Human Papilloma Virus in 76%, molluscum contagiosum 20%, both 4%. The median age was 24 years (range 16–76) and 57% of patients were men. The patients did not notice any lesion prior to consultation in 61 cases (9.3%). For the others, the delays before consultation were: 0–7 days (16.2%); 8–14 days (8.9%); 15–27 days (12%); 1–2 months (30%); 3–5 months (11.5%); 6–12 months (11.9%); >1 year (8.7%). Significant longer delays before consultation were observed for men in comparison to women. The delays were: ≤7 days (men 42/349 [12%], women 54/244 [22.1%], p<.001); =14 days (men 70/349 [20.1%], women 79/244 [32.4%], p<.001); =27 days (men 113/349 [32.3%], women 107/244 [43.8%], p=0.006); ≥6 months (men 90/349 [25.7%], women 33/244 [13.5%], p<0.001); more than 1 year (men 41/349 [11.7%], women 11/244 [4.1%], p=0.002).

Conclusions In our population, the median delay before consultation for genital warts was 1–2 months. However, men with genital warts do consult significantly later than women. Specific public health approach should be considered for men with visible genital lesions, in order to promote earlier consultation and limit transmission. More behavioural studies are needed to further investigate this observation.