What is HPV?
Genital papillomavirus infection is a sexually transmitted infection (IPP).The causative agent of papillomavirus infection is human papilloma viruses (HPV).Human papilloma viruses are a group of viruses, which includes about 100 different types.More than 30 types of HPV are transmitted sexually, the genitals and the anus of women and men are infected.
Most infected people do not know about their disease, do not have clinical manifestations and, moreover, can spontaneously recover.
Some of these viruses are called “high carcinogenic risk viruses”, they can cause precancerous genitals lesions.Recent studies have confirmed the main role of HPV in the development of cervical cancer.HPV high risk also play a role in the occurrence of vulva cancer, vagina in women and cancer of the penis in men.High risk viruses include 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 68, 69 Types-these types of HPV are responsible for 95-98% of cases of cervical cancer.They cause an increase in abnormal cells, which is usually flat and almost invisible during the usual examination compared to benign warts, which are caused by low risk viruses - 6, 11 types.Benign anogenital warts appear 2 to 6 months after infection.On the development of precancerous or cancerous changes associated with the carriage of HPV high risk, years are leaving for years and often a spontaneous cure for HPV occurs.
The infection is most common in age from 15 to 40 and affects the same women and men.By 50 years of life, about 80 percent of women will acquire HPV infection.
About 50-75% of sexually active people are infected with HPV during their lives, and in most cases the infection does not cause a disease and is spontaneously cured.
Approximately 90% of HIV-infected people also have HPV infection.
How is the HPV transmitted
Human papillomas infection are transmitted through sexual intercourse.Most of the infected do not have visible manifestations of the disease and therefore HPV carriers do not know about their infection and can infect their sexual partners.Sometimes an infected mother can infect a newborn during childbirth.This can lead to the so -called papillomatosis of the larynx of newborns.
Manifestations of infection
Most infected people do not know about it.HPV often does not cause any manifestations on the skin and mucous membranes.Part of people develop sexual warts or precancerous changes occur on the cervix, vulva, anal region or penis.Very rarely, these changes go directly into cancer.From infection to the development of severe dysplasia, on average, 20 years pass.Most women are spontaneously cured for 9 to 15 months from the moment of infection.The main manifestation of papillomavirus infection is sexual warts or pointed condylomas (VPV 6 and 11 are caused) - soft warty formations on a short thin leg, resembling colored cabbage or a rooster crest with a different location (penis head, penis, lips, vagina, neck of the uterus, anus area).Sharp condylomas appear 2 to 6 months after infection.Visible condylomas are detected during examination.
Diagnosis of infection
Condyl diagnostics are carried out on the basis of inspection.Diagnostics of HPV High Camphogene risk and related changes, a more difficult task.The diagnosis of precancerous diseases of the cervix at the basis of many was based on a cytological analysis of the smear (study of a smear under a microscope).However, it has a number of significant drawbacks - complexity, low sensitivity and high frequency of vague results.The American Committee FDA (Committee on Medicifications and Food) approved the study of HPV with the method of polymerase chain reaction - PCR, which can determine 13 types of HPV high risk.PCR for HPV has high sensitivity, easy to execute.The joint use of cytological studies and PCR tests can significantly increase the effectiveness of the diagnosis, the sensitivity increases to 99 - 100%.It is important that the identification of HPV high risk occurs long before the appearance of precancerous changes in the mucous membranes.
PCR research on high -risk HPV is recommended:
- - As the primary method, in addition to cytology for women over 30 years.
- - to resolve the dubious results of cytological research.
- - patients undergoing treatment for dysplasia or cancer.
- - At the first stage of diagnostics for countries where papillomavirus infection programs are poorly organized.
- - For examination of men.
Is it possible to cure this disease?
Diagnosis and treatment of STIs should be carried out in the conditions of a specialized clinic - an CVD, which has all the necessary means for quick and accurate diagnosis.
There is no specific medicine against HPV today.There are many methods of removal of condyl, but the disease can return again, since the virus remains in the human body.Relapses are possible in 25% of cases for 3 months after treatment.In the treatment of condyl, an examination of sexual partners is necessary.However, the vast majority of sexual partners are infected with HPV and simply do not have visible manifestations of the disease.
The treatment of precancerous diseases is the use of chemical, physical and other methods, in order to change the structure of affected areas of the mucous membranes, as well as the use of drugs stimulating immunity.In the future, an annual cytological study and determination of HPV is necessary by the PCR.
What is the connection between HPV and cervical cancer?
Only facts:
- High risk papillomas viruses are the main cause of cervical cancer.
- In cases of severe dysplasia (precancer) and cancer of the cervix, HPV is detected in almost 100% of cases.
- The identification of HPV is associated with a 250-fold increase in the risk of severe dysplasia.
- Cervical cancer takes 1st place among the causes of female mortality in developing countries.
- Cervical cancer takes 2nd place after breast cancer among women in the world-250 thousand deaths annually.
- In Russia, annually 12,300 women gets cervical cancer and more than 6 thousand patients die annually.
- Over the past 10 years, the average age of the sick has decreased from 58 to 55 years.
- In women under 29, the incidence has increased 2 times.
- HPV high risk is caused by cervical cancer in 100% of cases, the anus cancer is 90%, the vaginal cancer and vulva - 40%, cancer of the penis - 40% and the oropharynx cancer in 12% of cases.
- The American society of cancer was predicted for 2004, which in approximately 10,520 women will develop aggressive cervical cancer and approximately 3,900 women will die from this disease.Most women with aggressive cervical cancer did not go through the proper examination for HPV infection.
Prevention of infection
The surest way to prevent sexual HPV infection is to refrain from any sexual contact with another individual.
Long -term sexual relations with a permanent sexual partner does not give a 100% guarantee from HPV infection.It is difficult to determine without special tests, whether a sexual partner is currently infected.
Male condoms from latex, with proper use, reduce the risk of infection.
Any manifestations, such as pain or unpleasant sensations when urinating, an unusual rash, discharge are a signal for stopping sexual contacts and an immediate examination in a specialized clinic.If the patient has been found by STIs, he must inform his sexual partners in order for them to also undergo a complete examination and appropriate treatment.This will reduce the risk of serious complications and prevent the possibility of re -infection.