Human papilloma virus is one of the most common diseases from which no one is immune.According to medical statistics provided by the World Health Organization, approximately 70% of the world's population is infected with HPV and most infected people are not even aware of their illness.Despite long-term research into the nature of the papillomavirus, scientists have not yet found a way to completely cure it.Today it is only possible to suppress the activity of the causative agent of the disease, but under the influence of certain unfavorable factors it will return with renewed vigor.
Pathways of HPV infection
Papillomavirus is an unpleasant disease that causes the appearance of venereal warts (condyloma), growths on the skin, as well as papillomas on the mucous membranes of the larynx and oral cavity.In fact, HPV itself does not pose a particular threat to human health, but its external symptoms spoil the appearance, cause pain when damaged and can even cause oncology.Due to the risk of malignancy, this disease must be treated immediately, otherwise the consequences will be irreversible.
Human papillomavirus infection spreads very quickly.It is mainly transmitted in utero during gestation (from mother to child) or by contact:
- by handshakes;
- to kiss;
- by touching a patient on public transport;
- during sexual intercourse with an infected person.
In second place is the domestic circuit.In this case, you can catch the virus:
- through animal fur;
- when using other people's personal hygiene items;
- when you wear clothes or shoes belonging to an infected person;
- when visiting public swimming pools, ponds, showers.
HPV activation does not occur immediately.Often, the disease makes itself felt a year or two after entering the body, or even does not manifest itself at all.If no external symptoms are detected, a person infected with papillomavirus enters a group of carriers and becomes a spreader of the disease.This infection can be detected in the absence of external signs only after laboratory diagnosis, but few people think about it until the disease enters the active phase.
An interesting fact is that external signs of the disease in pregnant women are temporary.The reason is that during pregnancy the pregnant woman's immune system weakens, which previously kept the infection in a latent form.After childbirth, the protective functions of the woman's body are restored and the disease may disappear on its own.
Papillomavirus: level of oncogenicity and types of growth
All existing types of papillomaviruses are divided into several categories according to the level of oncogenicity:
- safe growths;
- neoplasms with a low risk of transformation into cancer;
- papillomas with an average risk of developing a cancerous tumor;
- particularly dangerous neoplasms.
According to data from medical practice, particularly dangerous types of papillomaviruses in most cases (70-94%) affect the female body.It causes precancerous conditions in urology and gynecology, such as cervical cancer.
Types of papillomas
Depending on their appearance and location, all papillomas are divided into several groups:
- warts– plantar on the feet, common on the fingers, juvenile growths (flat) on the skin;
- genital warts– genitals, area near the anus, mucous membranes of the vagina, oral cavity, lips.
Additionally, tumors can develop on the vocal cords.In this case, the disease is called laryngeal papillomatosis.It is often diagnosed in newborns and in women infected with condylomatosis.
Important!
If you do not consult a doctor in time, the papillomavirus can enter an advanced stage and a person will develop many different growths with different levels of oncogenicity throughout the body.It will be very difficult to fight massive papillomas.
Diagnosis of the disease
If you detect signs of papillomavirus on the skin, you should immediately contact an infectious disease specialist or dermatologist.If growths appear on the genitals, the patient should consult a gynecologist (for women) or a urologist (for men).The doctor is obliged to conduct a visual examination and make a primary diagnosis.After that, the patient is sent for examination.This is a mandatory procedure, because in addition to HPV, there are many other diseases whose external symptoms are very similar to the signs of papillomavirus infection.
PCR analysis
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common laboratory diagnostic method.Blood, scrapings from the skin or mucous membranes of the genitals are used as biomaterial.
After taking a tissue sample from a patient, laboratory staff use special enzymes that copy human papillomavirus RNA and DNA particles from the biomaterial.Then they are “run through” an infectious disease database, identifying the type of infection and its concentration.
There are many reasons why PCR analysis is the primary method for diagnosing papillomavirus.Among them, it is worth highlighting the main advantages of this method:
- increased sensitivity - the disease can be detected immediately after entering the body;
- versatility – absolutely any biomaterial can be analyzed;
- large coverage area - allows you to simultaneously identify all types of HPV present in the body;
- speed of analysis - results are known within a few hours;
- high precision - the technique never gives incorrect results (exceptions include violations of the technology for carrying out diagnostic measurements, which is extremely rare).
Additionally, it should be noted that the cost of the analysis is acceptable.The price of PCR is much lower than other HPV diagnostic methods.
Digene HPV Test
Not so long ago, Digene technology appeared in medicine, thanks to which it is possible to detect all types of human papillomavirus infection, from low levels of oncogenicity to particularly dangerous types of disease.Despite the fact that this technique is new, it is quickly gaining popularity.For example, in European countries, it is already recognized as more effective than PCR analysis.
The main advantage of the Digene HPV test is that, unlike PCR, it is able not only to identify the papillomavirus and establish the type of disease, but also to determine the level of its oncogenicity.Thanks to this, the doctor can more correctly select treatment and minimize the risk of developing cancer due to HPV.
A secondary positive feature of this diagnostic method was the accurate determination of the concentration of virus cells in the body.When deciphering the tests, doctors pay attention to this characteristic, since the course of treatment is selected on this basis.
All methods of treating human papilloma virus
HPV is not a death sentence!It is impossible to completely get rid of it, but it is quite possible to start living without its external manifestations.
The treatment regimen for human papillomavirus infection includes three stages:
- Removal of external signs of disease (growths);
- Follow medication treatment;
- Strengthen the immune system to prevent relapses.
The entire process of curing HPV should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.Making changes to it yourself can cause health problems or reduce the effectiveness of medications prescribed by a specialist.
Important!
Doctors allow the possibility of independently using additional methods of combating the virus (traditional medicine, spells, medicinal baths), but before using them, you must inform the doctor.
Basic methods for removing growths
It is not recommended to remove the growths on your own, since any damage to the papilloma or condyloma can cause the remains of the neoplasm to transform into a cancerous tumor.To safely get rid of external symptoms of infection, you should use professional techniques:
- freezing with liquid nitrogen;
- destruction of radio waves;
- electrocoagulation;
- laser therapy.
General contraindications to hardware removal of papillomas are:
- the presence of chronic diseases in the acute stage at the time of the visit to the medical center;
- damage to the skin at the site of growth;
- suspicion of malignancy;
- skin infections.
In addition, the client may be refused the operation if he is under the influence of drugs or intoxicated.
Excision of the growth with a scalpel
In certain particularly advanced cases, the patient will need to seek help from a surgeon.This radical method of combating growths is prescribed only when the papilloma has grown by more than 4-5 cm or the person has contraindications to one or another cosmetic procedure.
Surgery is the only effective way to get rid of large warts and tumors in large groups.Its disadvantages were:
- the appearance of a scar after surgery;
- need for anesthesia (local or general);
- long period of rehabilitation.
Chemotherapy
If there is a single small papilloma, the patient may resort to chemotherapy.It is based on the use of drugs for external use, which penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis and destroy the basis of growth.As a result, under the influence of aggressive chemical compounds, it dies and falls, leaving behind barely noticeable depression.
The disadvantage of this treatment method is that the components of anti-papilloma products also burn healthy skin cells.In addition, chemotherapy cannot eliminate condyloma and warts located in the mouth or genitals due to the risk of damage to the mucous membranes.
Drug treatment course
To date, it is not known how to permanently cure papillomavirus.The action of all existing drugs against HPV is aimed at suppressing the activity of the infection and strengthening the immune system, which can independently block the development of the disease.
Complex pharmacotherapy includes several types of drugs:
- antiviral;
- immunostimulants;
Antiviral drugs stop the development of the infection, and immunostimulants strengthen the protective functions of the body, which subsequently keeps the disease latent.
The choice of a particular drug depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Injections have become an alternative to oral medications.
Strengthen the immune system
Unlike antiviral and immunostimulating drugs, vitamin complexes can be selected based on the patient's personal preferences.They do not constitute the basis of therapy and belong to means intended to support the human body in the fight against infection.
Important!
If desired, the vitamins in the tablets can be replaced with healthy foods.To compensate for the body's lack of nutrients and restore its protective functions, it is enough to switch to plant foods rich in vitamins E, C, D.
Papillomavirus prevention
There are several groups into which all existing preventive measures against papillomavirus are divided:
- prevention of infection, taking into account the way the infection spreads (primary prevention);
- early diagnosis of the disease;
- protect the body from reinfection after undergoing treatment.
In the first case, a person must protect himself in every possible way from infection.To do this, he will need:
- stop having promiscuous sex;
- wash your hands after visiting public places;
- maintaining personal hygiene;
- avoid visiting dubious beauty salons (it is precisely due to insufficient disinfection of cosmetic or manicure instruments that the risk of contracting papillomavirus in a beautician's office is quite high);
- eat well;
- wear shoes when visiting swimming pools or baths;
- strengthen your immune system;
- Clean your house regularly.
Despite following these recommendations, there is still a small risk of contracting HPV.Therefore, doctors insist on regularly consulting an infectious disease specialist and submitting the biomaterial for analysis.This will help identify the virus during the incubation period and get rid of it quickly.
If, nevertheless, an infection occurs and the disease begins to manifest itself externally, no preventive measures will be beneficial.Only specially selected treatment will help you here, after which you will need to take care of preventing relapses of the disease.To do this, you need to apply the rules of primary prevention and remain under the supervision of a doctor for another 2-3 weeks.
Will the HPV vaccine protect women?
Although there is no 100% cure for HPV, women can avoid becoming infected with certain types of potentially carcinogenic diseases.Two drugs have been developed for this purpose.
These agents are administered as an injectable solution and help protect the body against several types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18, 33, 45).
Vaccination by these means takes place in three stages:
- The first dose takes place on the day of the injection;
- Second dose – after 60 days;
- The third dose takes place six months later.
After vaccination, the body acquires the ability to kill the viral cells whose DNA was part of the drug, provided that the person has not been infected with them before.Therefore, before injecting the drug, a woman undergoes mandatory laboratory diagnostics.
For immunity to be as pronounced as possible, vaccination should be carried out before the age of 18.Some developed countries have made this procedure compulsory, and all high school students are subject to it.
If necessary, you can take advantage of a paid vaccination in a private clinic.