Human papillomavirus is one of the most common diseases to which no one is immune.According to medical statistics provided by the World Health Organization, about 70% of the world's population is infected with HPV, and most infected people are not even aware of their condition.Despite long-term research into the nature of papillomavirus, scientists have not yet found a complete cure.Today, one can only stop the activity of the pathogen, but under the influence of some unfavorable factors, it will return with new vigor.
Pathways of HPV infection
Papillomavirus is an unpleasant disease that causes the appearance of venereal warts (condylomas), which develop on the skin, as well as papillomas on the mucous membranes of the larynx and oral cavity.In fact, HPV itself does not pose any special threat to human health, but its external symptoms spoil appearance, cause pain when damaged, and can even cause cancer.Due to the risk of malignant tumors, this disease must be treated immediately, otherwise the consequences will be irreversible.
Human papillomavirus infection spreads very quickly.The disease is transmitted mainly in utero during pregnancy (from mother to child) or by contact:
- through handshakes;
- hug;
- when touching a patient on public transport;
- when having sex with an infected person.
In second place is household circuits.In this case, you may have a virus:
- through animal hair;
- when using other people's personal hygiene items;
- when wearing the clothes or shoes of an infected person;
- at the time of visiting swimming pools, ponds, public showers.
HPV activation does not happen immediately.Usually, this disease appears a year or two after entering the body, or even does not appear at all.If no external symptoms are detected, then a person infected with papillomavirus will move into the group of carriers and become a transmitter of the disease.This infection can be detected in the absence of external signs only after undergoing laboratory diagnosis, but few people think about it until the disease enters its active phase.
An interesting fact is that the external signs of the disease in pregnant women are temporary.The reason for this lies in the fact that during pregnancy, the future mother's immune system weakens, which previously left the infection in a latent form.After giving birth, the protective function of the woman's body is restored and the disease can go away on its own.
Papillomavirus: degree of carcinogenesis and types of growth
All existing types of papillomavirus are divided into several types depending on the degree of carcinogenicity:
- safe growth;
- the tumor has a low risk of transforming into cancer;
- Papillomas have an average risk of developing cancerous tumors;
- Tumors are especially dangerous.
Based on medical practice data, papillomavirus types are especially dangerous in most cases (70-94%) affecting the female body.It causes precancerous conditions in urology and gynecology, such as cervical cancer.
Types of papillomas
According to their appearance and location, all papillomas are divided into several groups:
- warts– soles of the feet, roughness on the fingers, youthful (flat) growths on the skin;
- genital warts– Genitals, area near the anus, vaginal mucosa, oral cavity, lips.
Additionally, tumors can develop on the vocal cords.In this case, the disease is called laryngeal papilloma.It is commonly diagnosed in newborns and in women infected with pyoma.
Important!
If you do not consult a doctor in time, the papilloma virus can enter an advanced stage and a person will develop various degrees of growth with varying degrees of carcinogenicity throughout the body.It will be very difficult to fight papillomas en masse.
Diagnosis of disease
If you discover any signs of papillomavirus on your skin, you should immediately contact an infectious disease specialist or dermatologist.If a tumor appears in the genitals, the patient needs to see a gynecologist (for women) or a urologist (for men).The doctor is obliged to conduct a visual examination and make the main diagnosis.After that, the patient is sent for examination.This is a mandatory procedure, because in addition to HPV there are many other diseases, the external symptoms of which are very similar to signs of papillomavirus infection.
PCR analysis
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common laboratory diagnostic method.Blood, scratches on the skin or mucous membranes of genital organs are used as biological material.
After taking a patient tissue sample, laboratory staff use special enzymes to copy human papilloma virus RNA and DNA particles from the biological material.Next, they are “run” through a database of infectious diseases, determining 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 necessary to highlight the main advantages of this method:
- increased sensitivity - the disease can be detected immediately after entering the body;
- versatility – absolutely any biological material is suitable for analysis;
- large coverage area - allows you to identify all types of viruses present in the body at once;
- speed of analysis - results are known within a few hours;
- high accuracy - the technique never gives incorrect results (exceptions include violations of the technology of performing diagnostic measures, 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 infections, from low carcinogenic levels to especially dangerous diseases.Despite the fact that this technique is new, it is quickly gaining popularity.For example, in European countries, this method has been 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 papilloma virus and determine the type of disease, but also to determine the degree of its carcinogenicity.Thanks to that, doctors can choose more precise treatment methods and minimize the possibility of developing cancer caused by HPV.
A secondary positive feature of this diagnostic method is the accurate determination of the concentration of viral cells in the body.When decoding tests, doctors pay attention to this feature, because on its basis the course of treatment is chosen.
All human papillomavirus treatments
HPV is not a death sentence!It is impossible to completely get rid of it, but it is quite possible to start living without external manifestations.
The treatment regimen for human papillomavirus infection includes three stages:
- Eliminates external signs of disease (growth);
- Complete a course of drug treatment;
- Strengthens the immune system to prevent recurrence.
The entire process of healing from HPV must be done under the supervision of a doctor.Making changes on your own could cause health problems or reduce the effectiveness of medications prescribed by a specialist.
Important!
Doctors allow the possibility of independent use of additional antiviral methods (traditional medicine, charms, medicinal baths), but before use you should inform the doctor about this.
Basic methods for removing growths
Tumors should not be removed on their own, as any damage to the papilloma or pyoma can cause transformation of the rest of the tumor into a cancerous tumor.To safely get rid of external symptoms of infection, you should use professional techniques:
- freezing with liquid nitrogen;
- radio wave destruction;
- electrocoagulation;
- laser therapy.
General contraindications to hardware papilloma removal are:
- the presence of chronic diseases that are in the acute stage at the time of arrival at the medical center;
- skin lesions at the site of growth;
- suspected malignancy;
- skin infections.
In addition, customers may be refused surgery if they are drunk or under the influence of drugs.
Cut off the growth with a scalpel
In some particularly severe cases, patients will have to seek help from a surgeon.This radical anti-growth method is prescribed only when the papilloma has grown more than 4-5 cm or the person has contraindications to one or another cosmetic procedure.
Surgery is the only effective way to remove large warts and growths.Its disadvantages are:
- appearance of scars after surgery;
- need for anesthesia (local or general);
- long recovery time.
Valence
If there is a small single papilloma, the patient can use chemotherapy.It is based on the use of drugs for external use, penetrating into the deep layers of the epidermis and destroying the foundation of growth.As a result, under the influence of strong chemical compounds, it dies and falls off, leaving a barely noticeable dent.
The downside to this treatment is that the ingredients in papilloma treatment products also burn healthy skin cells.In addition, chemotherapy cannot remove warts and warts localized to the mouth or genitals due to the risk of mucosal damage.
The course of drug treatment
Until now, people still do not know how to cure papillomavirus forever.The action of all existing drugs against HPV is aimed at stopping the activity of infection and strengthening the immune system, which can independently stop the development of the disease.
Complex drug treatment includes several drugs:
- antiviral drugs;
- immune stimulant;
Antiviral drugs stop the development of infection, and immunostimulants strengthen the body's protective functions, which then keep the disease hidden.
The choice of a specific drug depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Injectable medications have become an alternative to oral medications.
Strengthens the immune system
Unlike antiviral drugs and immunostimulators, vitamin complexes can be selected according to the patient's personal preferences.They do not form the basis of therapeutic therapy and belong to means aimed at supporting the human body in the fight against infections.
Important!
If desired, vitamin tablets can be replaced with healthy foods.To compensate for the lack of nutrients in the body and restore protective functions, it is enough to switch to eating plant foods rich in vitamins E, C, D.
Prevention of papillomavirus
There are several groups into which all existing preventive measures against papillomavirus are divided:
- infection prevention, taking into account the degree of spread of infection (primary prevention);
- early diagnosis of disease;
- Protects the body from reinfection after undergoing a course of treatment.
In the first case, a person must protect himself from infection in every possible way.To do this he will need:
- stop having promiscuous sex;
- wash your hands after going to public places;
- maintain personal hygiene;
- avoid visiting suspicious beauty salons (precisely because nail tools or cosmetics are not sufficiently sterilized, the possibility of papillomavirus infection in the cosmetologist's office is quite high);
- eat well;
- Wear shoes when going to the swimming pool or bathroom;
- strengthen your immune system;
- Clean the house regularly.
Despite following these recommendations, there is still a small chance of contracting the virus.Therefore, doctors insist on regularly visiting infectious disease specialists and sending biological material for analysis.This will help identify the virus during its incubation period and quickly eliminate it.
However, if infection occurs and the disease begins to manifest itself, no preventive measures will be helpful.Only specially selected treatment will work here, after which you need to take care to prevent the disease from recurring.To do this, you need to apply the rules of primary prevention and be under the supervision of a doctor for another 2-3 weeks.
Does the HPV vaccine protect women?
Despite the fact that there is no 100% cure for papillomavirus, women can avoid being infected with certain types of dangerous cancer-causing diseases.Two drugs have been developed for this purpose.
These substances are given as injectable solutions and help protect against some types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18, 33, 45).
Vaccination by these means occurs in three stages:
- First dose on the day of injection;
- Second dose – after 60 days;
- The third dose is six months later.
After vaccination, the body acquires the ability to destroy viral cells whose DNA is part of the drug, provided that the person has not been infected with them before.Therefore, before receiving injections, the woman must undergo mandatory laboratory diagnostics.
To maximize immunity, vaccination should be done before 18 years of age.Some developed countries have made this procedure mandatory and all high school students must perform it.
If necessary, you can take advantage of paid vaccination services at private clinics.