An HPV carrier may not be aware that they are infected. Symptoms do not appear immediately and only in the form of papillomas of different localization:
- Vulgar. Appear in the form of a small hard bump with a diameter of about 1 cm, most often on the hands.
- Filiform. Small seals in the form of yellow cones, often change and grow.
- Plantar warts. Often confused with calluses.
- Flat. Itching before the manifestation, similar to the manifestation of an allergy. Then they become rounded, light.
- Pointed warts. They are found in intimate places, on the mucous membrane.
In women with formations on the genitals, accompanying signs may appear:
- heat;
- itching;
- violation of the cycle;
- pain, blood at the sites of neoplasms.
In men, HPV manifests itself in the form of genital warts rarely, they act as carriers of the disease.
Blood test for papillomavirus type 18 (16)
A blood test for the human papillomavirus in developed countries is used for mass detection of carriers and sick people. The diagnostic reliability of cytology is up to 95%. A DNA test in the USA is performed for the following indications:
- In women over 30, as a screening test;
- To identify questionable research results;
- In the absence of screening programs;
- For control after removal of cervical cancer.
The list of diagnostic procedures for the detection of papillomavirus:
- Cytological examination in combination with the Digene test allows you to determine the clinically significant concentration of the virus in the blood;
- Urological, gynecological examination - to detect genital warts, genital warts;
- Histological examination of a piece of tissue taken after a gynecological or urological examination.
The main task of papillomavirus diagnosis is the detection of precancerous conditions. Colposcopy and cytology are the most common and affordable ways to diagnose the disease.
Transfer Methods
Among the mechanisms under the influence of which you can become infected, there are:
- contact;
- vertical (from mother to child during labor).
The implementation of the contact mechanism is carried out through the sexual and contact-household ways. Therefore, HPV can be transmitted through:
- handshake and kiss;
- the use of other people's hygiene products, which include a razor, washcloth, soap, towel and cosmetics;
- wearing clothes that belong to the carrier of the infection;
- visiting public baths, saunas and swimming pools.
Oncogenic types of the virus are transmitted sexually. The risk of infection increases many times in those people who are promiscuous in partners. The more often they change, the higher the likelihood of infection, and even using a condom you cannot be sure of your safety.
You can also get infected with homosexual relationships, because it is they who are characterized by injury to the epithelium and mucosa. And a condom in this case also does not really help. The presence of warts on the body of a sexual partner also signals the possibility of acquiring HPV through microtraumas on the body.
Pregnant women who are carriers of HPV should be aware of the possibility of infecting a child during its passage through the birth canal.
Infection is carried out only in the presence of characteristic growths in the genital area and cervix. At the same time, papillomavirus infection in a child manifests itself in the form of growths in the larynx, which are of particular danger. It will be difficult for the baby to breathe and eat, perhaps even suffocation.
To begin with, it is worth saying that papilloma is transmitted through the epidermis and saliva. At the same time, the infection may not make itself felt for some time and manifest itself in the formation of genital warts and papillomas only with a decrease in immunity. If we talk about how the papillomavirus is transmitted, then the likelihood of infection is significantly increased if there are damage, scratches and abrasions on the skin.
Attention! Many people are interested in whether papilloma is inherited. The answer is no. Just when one of the family members is infected, the papilloma virus is transmitted at home or from mother to baby during childbirth.
There is an opinion that most often the human papillomavirus is transmitted through sexual contact. This is true, but there are other routes of infection as well. The incubation period for human papillomavirus can be up to 10 years. Papillomas on the body can form through a simple touch or through the saliva of another person.
There are more than a hundred strains of HPV, most of which are transmitted through various types of close contact.
sexually
HPV is transmitted sexually. This reason is considered the most common and insidious, because often girls and guys are not aware of the presence of an infection in the blood. Popular protection methods do not provide 100% security against the virus, especially if it is not a barrier method.
A condom gives a person little protection against HPV. It all depends on the type of infection and the person's immune system.
HPV can affect the skin anywhere on the body. Papilloma is often transmitted sexually.
Infection can even occur through a condom. This is due to the fact that the virus lives on superficial tissues and easily colonizes mucous membranes.
In the presence of a microabrasion, the virus enters the bloodstream and begins its destructive work. As a result of infection, genital warts or neoplasms resembling cauliflower appear on the mucous tissues of the genital organs.
Often men infect their partners during intimate relationships. They have a stronger immune system and rarely show visible signs of infection. If there are many sexual relationships with unfamiliar women, they may be in the role of virus carriers for some time. Papillomavirus can be passed from woman to man if the sexual partner has a weak immune system.
A person who is naturally immune to this virus can touch warts, have sex with a sick person, and remain healthy. There are cases when one partner tested positive for HPV, and the other negative, despite the fact that they live for a long time together.
Other routes of infection
The method of infection by household means is quite common, as is the possibility of getting an infection during sexual intercourse.
The virus can be transmitted while swimming in contaminated water, outdoor or indoor pools. You can see peculiar growths on the body some time after visiting a bath or sauna where an infected person has visited.
HPV is transmitted intranatally or transplacentally. For each method there is a certain risk of infection.
Research suggests that delivery by caesarean section increases the likelihood of human papillomavirus infection. In natural childbirth or artificial delivery in women, the risk of infection does not change.
The recurrent course of respiratory papillomatosis is provoked by the presence of several types of pathogens - 68, 59, 56, 52, 51, 45, 39, 35, 33, 31, 18, 16. Differences in the oncogenicity of serotypes lies in the ability of each type to determine the number of divisions intracellularly.
HPV transmission through sexual contact
Through sexual intercourse, HPV is transmitted as a sexually transmitted infection. After contact of the blood of a carrier or an infected person with the blood of a donor (through erosion, cracks in the genital organs), the virion enters the bloodstream. Clinical symptoms are formed according to the serotype of the virus:
- Vulgar plantar warts are provoked by HPV 63, 1, 4, 2 types;
- Flat warts - 75, 41, 28, 49. 10, 3;
- Epidermodysplasia verruciformis is observed in patients with papillomatosis due to serotype 11 or 6.
According to scientists, there are many papillomaviruses that have not yet been examined. Mankind has carefully studied oncogenic representatives, which has made it possible to create effective protection against cervical cancer in women.
The mechanism of infection with the papillomavirus in the domestic way
The human papillomavirus is a highly contagious virus and, according to statistics, from 50 to 70% of the population are infected with it. However, clinical manifestations of infection are not so common, in about 1-2% of cases. A person does not even realize that he is a carrier of HPV until there is a decrease in immunity and activation of the virus. By knowing the main ways HPV is transmitted, you can protect yourself from unwanted symptoms. So, HPV - how is the disease transmitted? All possible transmission routes will be discussed below.
Papilloma: how is it transmitted and what is it?
Currently, about 100 different varieties of the virus are known. Among them, there are both harmless to humans and dangerous in terms of the development of cancer.
The following facts can be encouraging: viruses that cause the formation of warts and papillomas belong to 6 and 11 subtypes that have a low carcinogenic risk. Oncogenic subtypes include strains 16 and 18, which provoke cell mutation and cervical cancer.
The papilloma virus multiplies exclusively in the cells of the skin and mucous membranes, causing their uncontrolled division. As a result, a person has the following clinical manifestations:
- various warts (common, flat, plantar);
- genital warts;
- papillomatosis of the mouth and larynx;
- papillomas of internal organs.
The role of the virus in the development of cervical cancer in women and penis cancer in men has been proven, so it is important to know how papillomavirus is transmitted in order to prevent infection.
Human papillomavirus: ways of transmission
It is impossible to detect the presence of a virus in the body on its own if there are no characteristic growths on the skin or mucous membranes. Specialized medical tests will allow identifying a sleeping pathology. The absence of symptoms does not guarantee that a person is not dangerous to others.
How is papillomavirus (HPV) transmitted? Physicians distinguish several ways.
Contact household way
HPV is transmitted through the household. It is worth noting that infrequently, but this option for obtaining human papillomavirus infection (PVI), nevertheless, has the right to exist.
You can get infected by shaking hands, using common household items - towels, slippers, wearing someone else's clothes, especially underwear. Often infection occurs when visiting the pool, fitness center.
The microscopic organism has such a high activity that HPV is transmitted through saliva, a kiss.
The risk of infection increases if the skin has abrasions, scratches, microcracks, and various wounds. Particularly contagious are people with characteristic manifestations of the disease - warts and papillomas.
A fairly common question: Will washing your hands regularly reduce the risk of infection? Of course, clean skin is more protected. However, hygiene measures do not protect against infection with papillomavirus.
Is papillomavirus (HPV) transmitted sexually?
One sexual contact is enough to infect a person. HPV is transmitted through oral, vaginal and anal sex.
More often, the infection comes from a man, but the opposite situation is also possible, when reverse infection of HPV is recorded - from a woman to a man.
Predisposing factors are:
- early intimacy at a young age;
- frequent change of sexual partners, because do not forget that papillomavirus is sexually transmitted;
- the presence of genital warts on the genitals.
Papilloma is also transmitted sexually through homosexual relationships, during which minor injuries of the skin and mucous membranes of the anal area occur. This significantly increases the risk of infection, especially if one of the partners has external manifestations of the disease - anogenital warts.
Is the human papillomavirus transmitted through protected sex? Unfortunately yes. HPV is transmitted through a condom, since warts invisible to the eye can be located in the inguinal region unprotected by the product.
Using a condom greatly reduces the risk of infection, but does not provide a complete guarantee of safety. Despite this, the use of a condom is recommended for all people who have multiple sexual partners.
HPV is easily transmitted through oral sex. This increases the risk of developing tonsillar cancer, especially if a person has become infected with oncogenic strains.
Papillomavirus: transmission from mother to child (vertical method)
Many pregnant women worry - is HPV transmitted from mother to child? Unfortunately, such a route of infection does take place, and infection can occur both transplacentally (in the prenatal period) and during childbirth.
If the first option is an incredible rarity, then when a baby passes through an infected birth canal, a child can get papillomavirus with a high degree of probability.
Possible infection of the larynx, bronchi and trachea in a newborn. The virus is introduced into the mucous membranes and stimulates the formation of growths. Laryngeal papillomatosis can lead to stenosis and suffocation of the child, especially if the vocal cords are affected. Any infection, a cold leads to swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and in the presence of concomitant papillomas, this ends with difficulty in inhaling and exhaling.
Papillomavirus infection (PVI) is included in the group of anthroponotic pathogens (transmission is carried out exclusively from person to person). If we talk about how you can get infected with papillomavirus (HPV), then mainly through sexual contact with an infected partner. In addition, the virus can remain active in dead skin cells for a certain time period (relatively short), therefore, in certain situations, infection with the human papillomavirus is carried out by household means. Now a little more about how to get HPV and what methods of infection exist.
Contagious papillomatosis
First of all, it is worth answering the question: "Is papilloma contagious? "Undoubtedly. And the appearance of warts requires complex treatment, including not only the removal of formations, but also the administration of the necessary medications.
Is latent HPV contagious? Another frequently asked question by patients. The answer to it will also be positive. It is worth knowing that even the practice of protected sex is not a full guarantee against infection. The virus can be based in the groin and the surface of the genitals, not protected by a condom.
Human papillomavirus: sexually transmitted infection
The main mode of transmission of papilloma is sexual intercourse with an infected partner. This type of transmission is typical for most varieties of the virus with high oncogenic activity.
The risk of getting the disease is especially high in men and women who are promiscuous when choosing a sexual partner. People with homosexual inclinations should also be included in the risk group. The practice of anal sex is accompanied by trauma to the skin and mucous membranes, which greatly facilitates the process of introducing HPV DNA into the human body.
A person often takes growths on the skin as harmless, and treats with folk methods. This mistake can have dangerous consequences - abnormal growth of epithelial tissue exacerbates the spread of papillomavirus throughout the body, and some of its strains provoke cell mutation with the formation of various types of cancer.
More than 80% of the world's population are carriers of the human papillomavirus, regardless of age and race.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common disease against which neither children nor adults are protected. Getting infected with this infection is quite simple, because its cells are around us and retain their viability 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 point. 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 near it and to members of its family.
Papillomavirus - a provocateur of the development of oncology
Almost every third person has small growths on the body that initially seem harmless and harmless. When such neoplasms are found, the first reaction of the patient is to rip them off or remove them using folk methods.
In fact, such actions often cause irreparable harm to health, since improper removal of the papilloma can provoke an active proliferation of epithelial tissues. This is what contributes to the rapid spread of HPV in the body, and in some cases even causes a 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-oncogenic;
- highly oncogenic.
One of the features of HPV is that it is not a sexually transmitted disease in the usual sense. The sexual route is only one of several ways of infection, and far from being the main one. That is why condoms can not always protect against the human papillomavirus.
We offer to figure out what methods of transmission of the virus exist, how infection occurs and whether it can be avoided.
In total, about 130 types of human papillomavirus are known to medicine. Only about 40 of them affect the genitals. For most of these 40 types, the sexual route of transmission is the main one, but studies show that it is not the only one.
HPV prevention
There are a number of preventive measures, due to which the human papillomavirus infection is highly likely not to enter the body.
- all damage to the skin should be treated with antiseptics;
- use only personal hygiene products;
- in public saunas, baths and pools it is necessary to use slippers made of rubber;
- any disease must be treated in a timely manner;
- loyalty to one sexual partner who can be trusted;
- use a condom for any sexual intercourse. Although this does not guarantee safety, nevertheless, through a condom, the papillomavirus enters the body of both women and men with less probability;
- regular exercise;
- hardening of the body;
- adherence to sleep and nutrition.
Such precautions should be taken not only to avoid infection with HPV, but also other sexually transmitted infections. The condom provides a guarantee against infection with many diseases that provoke the HPV virus to activate.
In the case of the presence of a virus in the body of pregnant women and its manifestations in the genital area, a full examination and removal of such neoplasms is necessary. If there are papillomas on the genitals, a caesarean section is recommended for a woman in order to prevent infection of the child during passage through the birth canal.
There is a special vaccine against viruses of highly oncogenic strains, which is recommended primarily for women under the age of 26 and adolescents. Even under the condition that the carrier of the HPV itself is vaccinated, its immunity improves markedly and the virus passes into an inactive phase.
At the same time, it must be taken into account that the virus does not disappear from the body, and, accordingly, the person remains a carrier of the infection. For safety reasons, he needs to use a condom during intercourse and use only personal hygiene products.
We figured out how the human papillomavirus is transmitted (women, men and children), now it remains to consider preventive measures. It should be said right away that the most effective way to avoid getting infected is preventive vaccination.
To date, two types of vaccines against this infection are known. They protect against the most dangerous oncogenic strains of a viral infection.
However, the high effectiveness of such protection is observed only when vaccinated at an early age, before sexual activity or before infection with one of the HPV strains.
In order not to become infected with the human papillomavirus, you need to follow some simple rules that will help you avoid other, more serious health problems:
- be careful when choosing sexual partners - avoid casual contacts;
- observe the rules of personal hygiene - wash your hands more often, especially after visiting public places;
- strengthen immunity - if possible, avoid stress and overwork;
- get vaccinated - the vaccine appeared relatively recently, in 2006.
Even having studied the ways of transmission of the human papillomavirus, and following all the rules of prevention, it is impossible to completely protect yourself from HPV infection. If you have had contact with a sick person and you are afraid that the virus could be transmitted, you can take a blood test for PCR. This way you will get a reliable answer. But it should be noted that HPV does not require treatment if you do not have characteristic clinical manifestations.