NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The incidence of genital warts appears to be increasing in the US, according to a study based on insurance claims data.

Jill E. Koshiol of GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and colleagues note that much of the data on genital wart prevalence and incidence comes from high-risk groups, such as those attending STD clinics.

To gain information in a wider population, the researchers prospectively examined health claims data covering more than 5.9 million privately insured people.

The rate of new genital wart claims per 100,000 person-years rose from 117.8 in 1998 to 205.0 in 2001, the researchers report in the December issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. The highest rates were in individuals between 20 and 29 years of age. The decline after that age was more marked in women.

Most of the claims (almost 60%) were in people 20-to-39 years old and "68% had a genital warts-specific ICD-9 code of 078.11," the investigators write. All other claims had a more generic coding, but were "suggestive of genital warts treatment."

The researchers point out that the findings are in line with others that indicate the burden is highest in the young and sexually active, and conclude that prevention efforts should focus on this group.

Sex Transm Dis 2004;31:748-752.

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