Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common disease from which neither children nor adults are protected.It is very easy to get infected by this infection because its cells are all around us and remain viable without a carrier for a long time.
In addition, it can settle in the human body imperceptibly and will not manifest itself until a certain time.All this time, the infected object is a carrier of the disease, which is why HPV is transmitted both to people close to him and to his family members.
Papillomavirus – a provocateur of the development of oncology
Almost one in three people develops small growths on their body, which initially seem harmless and harmless.When these tumors are detected, the patient's first reaction is to rip them out or remove them using traditional methods.
In fact, such actions often cause irreparable harm to health, since improper removal of papilloma can provoke active proliferation of epithelial tissue.This is what contributes to the rapid spread of HPV in the body and, in some cases, even causes skin cells to mutate, followed by degeneration into a cancerous tumor.
To date, scientists have divided all types of papillomaviruses into three categories:
- insurance;
- little tumorigenic;
- highly oncogenic.
These groups include certain types of diseases, which have their own level of probability of transforming the growth into a cancerous tumor.A virus of low and high oncogenicity, upon entering the body, penetrates the genome of epithelial cells, which changes their structure and causes the appearance of a malignant tumor.In this case, the patient needs immediate professional treatment, because if this problem is ignored, everything can end in death.It is not worth fighting the disease alone, as it will still not be possible to cure it without the help of a specialist.
Important!In medical practice, there are precedents when a patient is diagnosed with a safe form of papillomavirus, but under the influence of external factors, more often due to mechanical damage to growth, papillomas still degenerate into oncology.
How is the human papillomavirus transmitted?
All types of diseases, both oncogenic and harmless, spread in the same way.HPV can be transmitted in three ways:
- sexual intercourse with an infected person;
- transmission of infection from mother to child during pregnancy (vertical method);
- home broadcast.
The presence of skin lesions increases the likelihood of contracting the disease.Through small abrasions or scratches, viral cells quickly penetrate deep into the skin and begin to spread throughout the body.Additionally, the following factors may increase the chances of infection:
- weakening of the body's protective functions (seasonal or postoperative);
- the presence of intestinal dysbiosis or disorders of normal microflora in the vagina;
- avitaminosis;
- alcohol dependence;
- sexually transmitted diseases, in particular gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis
- diabetes of any type;
- exacerbation of any chronic disease;
- pregnancy at any stage;
- frequent exposure to stressful situations.
Also, people most susceptible to papillomavirus infection are experienced smokers, as well as women taking combined contraceptive pills.
Sexual transmission of HPV
If you have a weakened immune system, having sex with a sick person is a 100% way to contract human papillomavirus infection.Due to the high risk of transmission of the disease-causing agent, doctors insist on abandoning promiscuity and recommend establishing intimate relationships only with a trusted sexual partner.
Research into the nature of the papillomavirus has helped to establish that in almost 75% of cases the source of infection is humans.However, this does not mean that the majority of infected representatives of the fair sex are not spreaders of HPV.The presence of external symptoms of the disease – condylomas, which are located on the mucous membranes of internal organs – can increase the chances of transmission of the human papillomavirus from woman to man.Furthermore, even a strong immune system is not always able to protect against this type of human papillomavirus infection.
There is an opinion that the disease can only be contracted through normal sexual intercourse (penis penetration into the vagina).But in reality this is not the case.Doctors say that virus cells spread regardless of the method of sexual contact with the carrier.It could be:
- oral sex;
- touching the genitals with your hands;
- anal sex;
- sexual intercourse without penetration.
In addition, the virus is contained in saliva, so you can become infected with HPV even from a simple kiss.
Will a condom protect against disease?
Manufacturers of barrier contraceptives claim that the condom is 99% capable of preventing infection with any sexually transmitted disease.This raises a completely logical question: does it work against papillomavirus?
HPV is a unique infection against which there is no absolute protection.Therefore, even a condom does not provide a full guarantee that the infection will not be transmitted from a carrier to a healthy person during sexual intercourse.This is explained by the fact that the infected object has viral cells spread across the skin and if you use a condom, the papillomavirus will enter the body not through contact with the genitals, but through contact with other parts of the body.
Of course, this does not mean that condoms are a useless method of contraception.Although it does not protect against HPV, it prevents the transmission of other more serious diseases and also protects against unplanned pregnancies.
Important!If you have a strong immune system, the probability of becoming infected with HPV during sexual intercourse is almost zero, but doctors recommend not to exclude this possibility and to take additional precautions, for example, regularly taking immunomodulatory drugs.
Vertical method of infection
The vertical mode of virus transmission is infection of a child during intrauterine development or during its passage through the birth canal.
The infection occurs until approximately the sixth week of pregnancy, when the baby's bronchioles and alveoli are not yet formed.At this point, the fetus begins to develop respiratory papillomatosis.If, at the birth of a baby, he is diagnosed with difficulty breathing due to growths in the respiratory tract, doctors perform a surgical operation.Drug therapy in this case is useless.
If the expectant mother becomes infected with the papillomavirus after 6 weeks of pregnancy, the virus can be transmitted during childbirth.The baby is deprived of placental protection and passes through the birth canal, where infection occurs.
HPV treatment in pregnant women
If the human papillomavirus is detected without external signs, doctors prescribe the woman to take immunostimulating drugs.If the expectant mother has condylomas on the walls of the vagina or cervix, they must be removed.You can do this using:
- laser therapy;
- electrocoagulation;
- destruction of radio waves.
In a particularly severe case, the patient is prescribed surgery.This method is only used when the tumor exceeds 5 cm or cancer is suspected.
With a pre-established diagnosis of papillomavirus, the pregnant woman undergoes a cesarean section.This is the only way to protect a child from infections.
Often, the papillomavirus manifests itself after pregnancy.The reason for this was a temporary decrease in the body's protective functions.If there are no growths on the walls of the vagina or cervix, no treatment will be prescribed.Typically, after the baby is born, the external signs of HPV disappear on their own.
Household transmission of the virus
When diagnosing papillomavirus in a person, we can say with 90% certainty that it has already been transmitted to all other members of their family.You can get infected with HPV at home:
- when wearing shoes or clothes belonging to a sick person;
- when sharing towels, washcloths and other personal hygiene items;
- through saliva when using dishes or a toothbrush;
- after using a razor (the greatest risk of infection is when the skin is cut).
Other ways to spread the infection
In addition to all the listed routes of papillomavirus transmission, it is quite possible to detect the causative agent of the disease:
- in a bathhouse, sauna or swimming pool;
- in public transport (the main places where viral cells accumulate are handrails, seats, doors);
- when shaking hands with a sick person;
- when using elevators, escalators;
- in a beauty salon (in case of insufficient sterilization of instruments).
Not so long ago, information was published that almost 20% of cases of papillomavirus infection occur through transfusion of donor blood.Furthermore, hospital and clinical staff are at greater risk of infection, as they may inhale disease cells when they come into contact with a patient.In this case, a medical mask is a weak method of protection.
Vaccination – guaranteed safety against HPV?
Many people have heard about the benefits of vaccination against human papillomavirus, but few know that even this method does not guarantee complete safety against infections.
Today there are two types of preventive medicines.It is a mistake to assume that they protect against all existing types of papillomavirus.Its composition helps protect only some types of HPV, which are classified as dangerous types of cancer - 6, 11, 16, 18.