Human papillomavirus is one of the most common diseases from which no one is immune.According to the medical statistics of the World Health Organization, about 70% of the world's population is infected with HPV, and the majority of infected people are not even aware of their disease.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 new strength.
Routes of HPV infection
Papilloma virus is an unpleasant disease that causes the appearance of venereal warts (condylomas), 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 it is damaged, and can even cause oncology.Due to the danger of a malignant tumor, this disease must be treated immediately, otherwise the consequences will be irreversible.
Human papilloma virus infection spreads very quickly.It is mainly transmitted in utero during pregnancy (from mother to child) or by contact:
- through handling;
- a hug;
- when you touch a patient on public transport;
- during sexual intercourse with an infected person.
In second place is the home circuit.In this case, you can become infected with the virus:
- through animal fur;
- when you use other people's items for personal hygiene;
- when you wear clothes or shoes belonging to an infected person;
- when visiting public swimming pools, bars, showers.
HPV activation does not come immediately.Often the disease is felt a year or two after entering the body, or is not manifested at all.If no external symptoms are detected, a person infected with the papillomavirus passes into the carrier group and becomes a spreader of the disease.This infection can be detected in the absence of external signs only after laboratory diagnostics, but few people think about it until the disease enters the active phase.
It is an interesting fact that external signs of illness in pregnant women are temporary.The reason for this lies in the fact that during pregnancy the immune system of the future mother weakens, which previously kept the infection in a latent form.After childbirth, the protective functions of the female body are restored, and the disease may disappear on its own.
Papilloma virus: level of oncogenicity and types of growths
All existing types of papillomavirus are divided into several categories depending on the degree of oncogenicity:
- safe growths;
- neoplasms with a low chance of transformation into cancer;
- papillomas with an average risk of developing a cancerous tumor;
- especially dangerous neoplasms.
Based on the data of medical practice, particularly dangerous types of papillomavirus in most cases (70-94%) affect the female body.It causes precancerous conditions in urology and gynecology, such as cervical cancer.
Types of papilloma
According to appearance and location, all papillomas are divided into several groups:
- warts- plantar on the feet, vulgar on the toes, youthful (flat) growths on the skin;
- genital warts– genitalia, the area near the anus, mucous membranes in the vagina, oral cavity, lips.
In addition, tumors can develop on the vocal cords.In this case, the disease is called laryngeal papillomatosis.It is often diagnosed in infants and women who are infected with condyloma.
Important!
If you do not consult a doctor in time, the papilloma virus can enter an advanced stage and a person will develop many different growths of different levels of oncogenicity throughout the body.It will be very difficult to fight mass papillomas.
Disease diagnosis
If you detect any signs of papillomavirus on the skin, contact an infectious disease specialist or dermatologist immediately.If growths appear on the genitals, the patient should visit a gynecologist (for women) or a urologist (for men).The doctor is obliged to perform a visual examination and make a primary diagnosis.After that, the patient is sent for examination.This is a mandatory procedure, because besides HPV, there are many other diseases whose external symptoms are very similar to the signs of papilloma virus infection.
PCR analysis
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common laboratory diagnostic method.Blood, shavings from the skin or mucous membranes of the genital organs are used as biomaterial.
After taking a sample of the patient's tissue, the laboratory staff uses special enzymes that copy the RNA and DNA particles of the human papillomavirus from the biomaterial.They are then "run" through the database of infectious diseases, identifying the type of infection and its concentration.
There are many reasons why PCR analysis is the main 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 every biomaterial is suitable for analysis;
- large coverage area - allows you to identify all types of HPV that are present in the body at one time;
- speed of analysis - results become known within a few hours;
- high accuracy - the technique never gives wrong results (exceptions include violation of the technology for carrying out diagnostic measures, which is extremely rare).
In addition, it should be noted that the price of the analysis is acceptable.The price of PCR is significantly lower compared to other methods for diagnosing HPV.
Digene HPV test
Recently, Digene technology appeared in medicine, with which it is possible to detect all types of human papilloma virus 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 can not only identify the papillomavirus and determine the type of disease, but also determine the level of its oncogenicity.Thanks to this, the doctor can more correctly choose the treatment and reduce the probability of developing cancer due to HPV to a minimum.
A secondary positive feature of this diagnostic method was the precise determination of the concentration of viral cells in the body.When deciphering the tests, doctors pay attention to this characteristic, because the course of therapy is chosen based on it.
All methods of treatment of human papilloma virus
HPV is not a death sentence!It is impossible to get rid of it completely, but it is quite possible to start living without its external manifestations.
The treatment regimen for human papillomavirus infection includes three phases:
- Removal of external signs of disease (growths);
- Completion of a course of drug therapy;
- Strengthening the immune system to prevent relapse.
The entire process of curing HPV must take place under the supervision of a doctor.The changes themselves can cause health problems or reduce the effectiveness of medicines prescribed by a specialist.
Important!
Doctors allow the possibility of independent use of additional methods of fighting the virus (traditional medicine, spells, medicinal baths), but the doctor should be informed about this before use.
Basic methods for removing growths
Independent removal of growths is not recommended, because any damage to papillomas or condylomas can cause the transformation of neoplasm remnants 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 for hardware papilloma removal are:
- the presence of chronic diseases that are in the acute phase at the time of the visit to the medical center;
- skin damage at the growth site;
- suspected neoplasm malignancy;
- skin infections.
Additionally, a client may be denied surgery if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Excision of the growth with a scalpel
In some 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 for one or another cosmetic procedure.
Surgery is the only effective way to get rid of large warts and large group tumors.Its disadvantages were:
- the appearance of a scar after surgery;
- need for anesthesia (local or general);
- a long period of rehabilitation.
Chemotherapy
If there is a small single papilloma, the patient can use chemotherapy.It is based on the use of drugs for external use, which penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis and destroy the base of growths.As a result, under the influence of aggressive chemical compounds, it dies and falls off, leaving behind a barely noticeable depression.
The disadvantage of this method of treatment is that the components in antipapilloma preparations also burn healthy skin cells.In addition, chemotherapy cannot remove condylomas and warts localized in the mouth or genitals due to the risk of damaging the mucosa.
A course of drug treatment
To this day, it is not known how to cure the papilloma virus forever.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 drug therapy includes several types of drugs:
- antivirus;
- immunostimulants;
Antiviral drugs stop the development of infection, and immunostimulants strengthen the protective functions of the body, which then keep 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.
Strengthening the immune system
Unlike antiviral and immunostimulating drugs, vitamin complexes can be selected according to the patient's personal preferences.They are not the basis of therapy and belong to means intended to support the human body in the fight against infections.
Important!
If desired, vitamin tablets can be replaced with healthy food.To compensate for the lack of nutrients in the body and restore its protective functions, it is enough to switch to plant foods rich in vitamins E, C, D.
Prevention of papilloma virus
There are several groups into which all existing preventive measures for the papillomavirus are divided:
- prevention of infection, taking into account how the infection spreads (primary prevention);
- early diagnosis of the disease;
- protection of the organism from re-infection after the course of therapy.
In the first case, a person must protect himself in every possible way from infection.For this he will need:
- stop having promiscuous sex;
- wash your hands after visiting public places;
- maintain personal hygiene;
- avoid visiting dubious beauty salons (precisely due to insufficient disinfection of cosmetic or manicure instruments, the probability of infection with the papilloma virus in the cosmetologist's office is quite high);
- eat well;
- wear shoes when visiting pools or spas;
- strengthen your immune system;
- Clean your home regularly.
Despite following these recommendations, there is still a small chance of getting HPV.Therefore, doctors insist on regular visits to infectious disease specialists and the submission of biomaterials for analysis.This will help you recognize the virus in the incubation period and get rid of it quickly.
If an infection does occur, and the disease begins to manifest externally, then no preventive measures will be of any use.Only a specially selected treatment will help here, after which you must take care to prevent the recurrence of the disease.To do this, you must use the rules of primary prevention and stay under the supervision of a doctor for another 2-3 weeks.
Will the HPV vaccine protect women?
Despite the fact that there is no 100% cure for the papillomavirus, women can avoid infection with some types of diseases that are dangerous for cancer.Two drugs have been developed for this purpose.
These agents are given as an injectable solution and help protect the body against several types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18, 33, 45).
Vaccination with these agents takes place in three phases:
- The first dose is on the day of the injection;
- Second dose – after 60 days;
- The third dose is six months later.
After vaccination, the body acquires the ability that allows it to kill viral cells, whose DNA was part of the drug, provided that the person was not previously infected with them.Therefore, before injecting the drug, the woman undergoes mandatory laboratory diagnostics.
In order for immunity to be as pronounced as possible, vaccination should be done before the age of 18.Some developed countries have made this procedure mandatory, and all high school students go through it.
If necessary, you can take advantage of a paid vaccination at a private clinic.