Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common disease from which neither children nor adults are protected.It is quite easy to become infected with this infection, because its cells are around us and remain viable without a carrier for a long time.
In addition, it can settle in the human body unnoticed and will not manifest itself until a certain moment.All this time, the infected object is a carrier of the disease, which is why HPV is transmitted both to people who happen to be close to him and to members of his family.
Papillomavirus – a provocateur of the development of oncology
Almost every third person develops small growths on their body, which initially seem harmless and harmless.When such tumors are detected, the patient’s first reaction is to tear them off 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 mutation of skin cells with subsequent degeneration into a cancerous tumor.
To date, scientists have divided all types of papillomavirus into three categories:
- safe;
- low-tumorigenic;
- highly oncogenic.
These groups include certain types of disease, which have their own level of probability of transformation of the growth into a cancerous tumor.A virus with low and high oncogenicity, when it enters 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 requires immediate professional treatment, since if this problem is ignored, everything can end in death.It is not worthwhile to fight the disease on your own, because 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 the growth, papillomas still degenerate into oncology.
How is human papillomavirus transmitted?
All types of disease, oncogenic and harmless, spread in the same ways.HPV can be transmitted in one of three ways:
- sexual intercourse with an infected person;
- transmission of infection from mother to child during pregnancy (vertical method);
- household transmission.
The presence of lesions on the skin 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.In addition, the following factors can increase the chances of infection:
- weakening of the body’s protective functions (seasonal or postoperative);
- the presence of intestinal dysbiosis or disturbances of the normal microflora in the vagina;
- avitaminosis;
- alcohol addiction;
- 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.
In addition, those most susceptible to infection with papillomavirus are experienced smokers, as well as women taking combined-type contraceptive pills.
Sexual transmission of HPV
If you have a weakened immune system, sex with a sick person is a 100% way to contract human papillomavirus infection.Due to such a high risk of transmitting the causative agent of the disease, doctors insist on abandoning promiscuity and recommend entering into intimate relationships only with a trusted sexual partner.
Research into the nature of papillomavirus has helped establish that in almost 75% of cases the source of infection is a man.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 transmitting the human papillomavirus from a woman to a man.Moreover, even a strong immune system is not always able to protect against this type of human papillomavirus infection.
There is an opinion that you can catch the disease only through normal intercourse (penetration of the penis 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 through a simple kiss.
Will a condom protect against illness?
Manufacturers of barrier contraceptives say that a condom is 99% capable of preventing infection with any sexually transmitted diseases.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 will not provide a complete guarantee that the infection will not be transmitted from a carrier to a healthy person during intercourse.This is explained by the fact that the infected object has virus cells throughout the skin and if you wear 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 the condom is a useless method of contraception.Although it does not protect against HPV, it does prevent the transmission of other more serious diseases and also protects against unplanned pregnancy.
Important!If you have a strong immune system, the likelihood of becoming infected with HPV during sexual intercourse is almost zero, but doctors recommend not excluding this possibility and taking additional precautions, for example, regularly taking immunomodulatory drugs.
Vertical method of infection
The vertical mode of transmission of the virus is the infection of a child during intrauterine development or during its passage through the birth canal.
Infection occurs until approximately the sixth week of pregnancy, at a time when the baby's bronchioles and alveoli have 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, then doctors perform a surgical operation.Drug therapy in this case is useless.
If the expectant mother becomes infected with 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.
Treatment of HPV in pregnant women
If 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;
- radio wave destruction.
In a particularly severe case, the patient is prescribed surgery.This method is used only when the tumor exceeds 5 cm or there is a suspicion of cancer.
With a pre-established diagnosis of papillomavirus, a pregnant woman undergoes a cesarean section.This is the only way to protect a child from infection.
Very often, 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 is prescribed.Usually, after the baby is born, the external signs of HPV disappear on their own.
Household transmission of the virus
When diagnosing papillomavirus in one person, we can say with 90% confidence that it has already been transmitted to all other members of his family.You can become infected with HPV at home:
- when wearing shoes or clothing of a sick person;
- when sharing towels, washcloths and other personal hygiene items;
- through saliva when using dishes or a toothbrush;
- after using one razor (the greatest risk of infection is when the skin is cut).
Other ways of spreading infection
In addition to all the listed routes of transmission of papillomavirus, it is quite possible to pick up 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 nail salon (in case of insufficient sterilization of instruments).
Not long ago, information was published that almost 20% of cases of papillomavirus infection occur through donor blood transfusion.In addition, hospital and clinic staff are at greatest risk of infection, as they can inhale disease cells upon 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 the human papillomavirus, but few know that even this method does not guarantee complete safety from infection.
Today there are two types of preventive medications.It is a mistake to assume that they protect against all existing types of papillomavirus.Their composition helps protect yourself from only a few types of HPV, which are classified as cancer-dangerous types - 6, 11, 16, 18.