Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common disease from which neither children nor adults are protected.It is quite easy to contract this infection, because its cells are around us and remain viable for a long time without a carrier.
Furthermore, it can settle in the human body unnoticed 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 members of his family.
Papillomavirus – a provocateur of the development of oncology
Nearly one in three people 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 out or remove them using traditional methods.
Indeed, 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 also causes the skin cells to mutate with subsequent degeneration into a cancerous tumor.
To date, scientists have divided all types of papillomaviruses into three categories:
- Safe;
- little carcinogenic;
- highly oncogenic.
These groups include certain types of diseases that have their own level of probability of the growth transforming into a cancerous tumor.A virus with low and high oncogenicity, when entering the body, penetrates the genome of epithelial cells, modifying their structure and causing the appearance of a malignant tumor.In this case, the patient needs immediate professional treatment, since if this problem is ignored, everything can end in death.It is not worth fighting the disease alone, because without the help of a specialist it will still not be possible to cure it.
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, most often due to mechanical damage to growth, papillomas still degenerate into oncology.
How is the human papillomavirus transmitted?
All types of diseases, oncogenic and harmless, spread equally.HPV can be transmitted in three ways:
- sexual intercourse with an infected person;
- transmission of infection from mother to child during pregnancy (vertical method);
- domestic broadcast.
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.Additionally, the following factors may increase your chances of infection:
- weakening of the body's protective functions (seasonal or postoperative);
- the presence of intestinal dysbiosis or disorders 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.
Furthermore, those 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, sex with a sick person is a 100% way to get human papillomavirus infection.Because of 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 the papillomavirus has helped to 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 – warts, which are found on the mucous membranes of internal organs – can increase the chances of transmission of the human papillomavirus from a woman to a 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 it is possible to get the disease only through normal intercourse (penetration of the penis into the vagina).But in reality this is not the case.Doctors say that viral cells spread regardless of the method of sexual contact with the carrier.Could be:
- oral sex;
- touching the genitals with your hands;
- anal sex;
- sexual intercourse without penetration.
Furthermore, the virus is contained in saliva, so you can contract HPV even through a simple kiss.
Will condoms protect against disease?
Manufacturers of barrier contraceptives claim that the condom is 99% capable of preventing infection from 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 complete guarantee that the infection will not be transmitted from the carrier to a healthy person during intercourse.This is explained by the fact that the infected object has viral cells all over 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 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 contracting 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 infection method
The vertical mode of transmission of the virus is infection of a child during intrauterine development or during its passage through the birth canal.
The infection occurs until the sixth week of pregnancy, when the baby's bronchioles and alveoli have not yet formed.At this point, the fetus begins to develop respiratory papillomatosis.If at birth the baby is diagnosed with breathing difficulties due to growths in the respiratory tract, doctors perform surgery.Drug therapy in this case is useless.
If the expectant mother becomes infected with papillomavirus after the sixth week of pregnancy, the virus can be transmitted during childbirth.The baby is deprived of placental protection and passes through the birth canal, where the 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 warts 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 used only when the tumor exceeds 5 cm or cancer is suspected.
With an established diagnosis of papillomavirus, a pregnant woman undergoes cesarean section.This is the only way to protect a child from infections.
Very often papillomavirus manifests itself after pregnancy.The reason for this was a temporary decrease in the protective functions of the body.If there are no growths on the walls of the vagina or cervix, no treatment is prescribed.Usually, after the birth of the baby, the external signs of HPV disappear on their own.
Domestic transmission of the virus
When we diagnose papillomavirus in a person, we can say with 90% certainty that it has already been transmitted to all other members of his family.You can contract 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 a razor (the greatest risk of infection occurs when the skin is cut).
Other ways of spreading the infection
In addition to all the listed routes of transmission of papillomavirus, it is quite possible to identify the causative agent of the disease:
- in a bathhouse, a sauna or a 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 blood from a donor.Additionally, hospital and clinic staff are most at risk of infection as they may inhale diseased 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 human papillomavirus, but few know that even this method does not guarantee complete safety from infection.
Today there are two types of preventive drugs.It is a mistake to assume that they protect against all existing types of papillomaviruses.Their composition helps protect against only certain types of HPV, classified as dangerous types for cancer: 6, 11, 16, 18.