Human papillomavirus – HPV – is a special virus that may be inactive, or may appear as growths (warts, papillomas) on the skin anywhere, including organs.
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HPV: description of the disease
There is no specific nature of the growths, all 120 types of HPV appear in different forms. These are condylomas, and papillomas on a wide stalk, and small growths, the size of a needle eye. Each type differs in size, place of appearance, shape, color and degree of danger to humans.
The most common is the appearance of warts. Localizations – hands and face most often. Warts do not degenerate into cancer and are not dangerous for their carrier. Their only disadvantage is their unaesthetic appearance, they are often injured due to the thin shell. The most susceptible to the manifestation of HPV are those people whose immunity does not provide adequate protection.
Genital warts are recognized as the most dangerous manifestations , which appear only on the mucous membranes of the genital organs. These are flat or slightly pointed neoplasms, which in most cases gradually develop into cancer.
Infection occurs sexually in 100 out of 100 cases. Physicians take from 5 to 25 years to degenerate papilloma into cancer, depending on the level.
Causes
If papillomas appear on the body , it means that somewhere in the body there is a “breakdown” and the strength of immunity is not enough. Usually papillomavirus is preceded by a viral or bacterial disease.
Not the last role is played by the slagging of the body. Here and malnutrition, and bad habits, and the use of drugs, and a lot of dead cells after the disease.
- The main reason is a drop in immunity.
- With age, the resistance of the body decreases, and the occurrence of papilloma may be frequent.
- Stress is far from the last thing that can cause the activation of the human papillomavirus. Serous emotional experiences can poison an absolutely healthy organism in a matter of days.
- Pregnancy and adolescence is a time when the body can do anything due to the rapid surges in hormones. In any case, these changes most often disappear after the birth of a child in the first case, and after the regulation of the hormonal level in the second. If the papillomas have not disappeared, you should immediately contact a dermatologist or infectious disease specialist.
- The papilloma virus is perfectly transmitted between people during sexual intercourse. The virus lives for a long time in the open air. Someone else’s underwear or towel can reward everyone with HPV. During childbirth, the baby passes through the birth canal and acquires its first virus.
Symptoms
Thanks to immunity, the virus cannot go on the offensive for a long time and simply lingers in dormant mode in the body. Most carriers of human papillomavirus disease will never know that the body is infected.
Some will get acquainted with growths several times in their lives, but there are those who will not only constantly treat new growths, but also face cancerous complications.
Types of neoplasms
Thanks to modern medicine, HPV types are well understood and presented to the general public. To date, 120 species of this disease have been identified.
Most do not carry anything other than the likelihood of the virus awakening and the appearance of rather unpleasant formations on the skin. But there are those that are really dangerous and degenerate into tumors. It is conventionally customary to divide the types of the disease into subgroups:
- with a high risk of malignant tumors, including cancer;
- average risk of malignant tumors, including cancer;
- low risk;
- harmless to humans.
Genotyping of papillomaviruses: what is it?
Thanks to HPV genotyping, a prediction of a future disease is made, a study of the type, and identification of their number in the body. If there are several viruses, they usually speak of an unfavorable prognosis for the course of the disease. After carrying out all the basic tests and identifying the oncogenic genotype (or genotypes), additional studies are assigned.
If everything is confirmed, quite radical methods of treatment can be applied. It is HPV genotyping of this virus that makes it possible to exclude in time even the minimal probability of recurrence and, as a result, death.
How to determine the type of HPV?
After contacting a specialist, confirmation of the diagnosis begins, and then its typing. Procedures include:
- examination of the foci, external belonging to the types of papilloma;
- colposcopy for women, before that, a smear must be taken;
- diagnostic methods at the molecular biological level;
- examination of the cytological direction;
- histological examinations after taking a biopsy;
- general blood, urine, secretion tests.
The diagnosis of HPV itself usually does not cause difficulties, since formations can be detected either on their own or during a doctor’s examination. To verify the viral basis of neoplasms on the body and organs, swabs and scrapings for PCR are prescribed. See also material on the topic: HPV type 16, quantitative analysis, decoding .
After that, the procedure for genotyping the detected human papillomavirus is already performed: biopsy, testing for oncogenicity. After, depending on which genotype is detected, removal of formations and treatment is prescribed. With persistent immunodeficiency (AIDS), diagnosis is usually difficult, and treatment often does not give a positive effect.
Features of each type of virus
It is conventionally accepted to divide the types of HPW disease (aka HPV, but it is HPW that is prescribed in the analyzes) into subgroups according to oncogenicity – that is, the probability of transforming the affected area into a malignant tumor:
- HPW with a high risk of malignant tumors, including cancer (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 39, 45, 50, 56, 59, 61–62 , 64 , 66, 68 , 70, 73 types), highlighted in bold the most dangerous;
- HPW, who have an average risk of developing malignant tumors, including cancer (26, 30, 35, 52, 53 , 58.65);
- HPW with a low risk of developing into a malignant tumor, including cancer (6, 11, 13, 32, 34, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 51, 72 ) ;
- HPW non-hazardous to humans, all other species (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 100-120 and others).
The most dangerous strain number 16 and strain number 18. Each human papillomavirus may look different. There are warts, elongated papillomas, very small formations, wide plaques, dense and soft growths.
Diagnostic methods
A person can get a determination of the fact of the presence of a virus either on his own (simply by noticing growths on his body), or at a doctor’s appointment. It can be a therapist, and a gynecologist, and a proctologist, and a urologist, and a dermatologist. Accordingly, the typing of the detected disease can be completely different.
- Colposcope examination. Thanks to colposcopy, it is possible to examine the mucous membrane of the internal genital organs quite well. Increasing the image size will allow you to notice even small growths, if any.
- Cytological research method. A swab taken from the affected area is examined using a microscope. The results are interpreted by group. Groups 1 and 2 are placed if the development of malignant cells has not been detected. Grade 3 means that the result is in doubt and additional histological examination is needed. Group 4 or 5 – when malignant cells are detected.
- Histological research method. This is a study under a microscope, but not a smear, but particles of a neoplasm. Allows you to see for yourself whether there are malignant changes in papilloma cells.
- Non-amplification PCR test. The most common test that detects HPV from blood, smear of the vagina and urethra, nose, throat, amniotic fluid. If the cancer has already formed, PCR is always positive.
- Amplification digene test. An accurate study that shows not only the presence and type of the virus, but also its oncogenicity, the degree of damage. It is possible to detect malignant changes with this test even at the earliest stages. The material for the study is scraping on the mucous membranes of the vagina, urethra.
Only a highly qualified specialist should perform any tests. Since the wrong technology can give a false result.
Features of the survey in women
During the study, the woman gives a scraping from the cervix. This option is the most preferred and gives much more complete information than scrapings from the vagina or urethra . In order to take a scraping in this place, use a special brush.
It is placed in the cervical canal of a woman, collecting the material necessary for research with its bristles. Then the tool makes prints and sent for research. The brush is often replaced with a universal probe. The analysis does not cause any pain to the woman. Not carried out during critical days.
Principles of HPV treatment
There is no 100% cure for HPV. This is important to understand, since this disease in an inactive form is always present in the body of an infected person. And it will reappear, even if all papillomas are surgically removed to the last. The principle of qualitative treatment is to help the body reduce the quantitative size of the active DNA of the virus. For this:
- growths are removed (laser, surgical method, etc.);
- the use of antiviral agents;
- work to strengthen the immune system (general and medication).
Self-medication will not give such a positive effect as medical intervention. Sometimes a person can even aggravate the course of his illness by cauterizing cancerous papillomas with tinctures, celandine , garlic, etc.
Price for tests
Prices in Russia can vary quite a lot. Clinic Invitro in Moscow offers the following tests:
- determination of oncogenic types of HPV and scraping in the urethra – 575–1050 rubles;
- digene test – 6430 rubles;
- determination of low oncogenic types of HPV and scraping in the urethra – 585 rubles;
- screening of 14 types of oncogenic HPV – 885 rubles;
- colposcopy – 1300 rubles;
- histological examination – 2060 rubles;
- PCR – 2940 rubles;
- cytological examination of a smear or scraping – 745–1270 rubles.
Find out also what HPV is, deciphering the results of the analysis
