HPV is passed on from skin to skin contact, anal sex and occasionally via oral sex. HPV can be transmitted even when there are no visible warts, however having visible warts makes transmission more likely.

While some types of HPV can cause warts, other strains can cause cancer. In men, cancers that are associated with HPV often include cancer of the anus, penis, tongue, throat and tonsils. Men who have receptive anal sex (bottoms) are at highest risk and are about 50 times more likely to develop anal cancer than other men. People who are HIV positive are at even higher risk of anal cancer.

More often than not, there will be no symptoms associated with HPV. However, guys who carry HPV may develop warts at some point. The first sign of warts are growths or lumps in the genital and/or anal area which can appear up to 3-12 months after first getting HPV. The warts are usually painless and will often disappear on their own without treatment. They can appear on the penis, balls, arse and very rarely on the mouth.

Some strains of HPV can also increase your risk of genital or anal cancer, however these strains are different to the ones that can cause warts.

Warts are generally diagnosed by sight. If you believe you have symptoms of HPV, speak to your doctor or visit your local sexual health centre. A doctor will then be able to confirm whether genital and/or anal warts are present. If you have warts, it means that you have HPV.

There is no cure for the HPV virus itself. However, genital and anal warts can be treated if and when they pop up. Without treatment, warts can stay the same, go away on their own, or get worse. Whether or not you treat them is totally up to you (the warts themselves are completely harmless). However, if left untreated, warts can increase in numbers and become harder to get rid of.

Doctors can prescribe special paints or creams that can remove warts, and sometimes doctors will freeze or burn the warts. However, warts can come back. Sometimes, several treatments are needed before they go away completely.

Hep C is present in blood and cum, and there can be enough of it in the tiniest spot of blood to cause infection if it gets into a negative guy’s blood stream. It can survive in dried blood for up to four or five days (unlike HIV), making barriers the best prevention methods.

Here are some prevention strategies on minimising the chances of Hep C being passed on or acquired:

• Using your own injecting equipment, including fits, mixing spoons and tourniquets
• Using a new fit each time you inject
• Washing your hands before and after injecting
• Checking yourself and buddies in long sessions for friction burns and cuts on your cock and body
• Keeping cuts, sores, and abrasions covered
• Using condoms when you’re fucking
• Using a new condom on sex toys each time they’re shared
• Using gloves when fisting: fresh ones with each arse, changing them if you touch anything else like the lube pot or mat
• Washing hands and sex toys between partners
• Wiping down any slings, chains, or floggers before and after use

After the treatment is done for yourself you need to follow up with your doctor by doing blood test called HCV viral load and Liver Function Test every 6 months forever to make sure that the treatment was successful and it doesn't come back.