What is HPV virus? Causes, signs and prevention of HPV infection

Almost anyone can get the HPV virus once in their life, and it usually leads to less serious health problems, but there are some strains that cause cervical cancer.

So what is the HPV virus and how to best prevent infection with this virus? Let’s find out more with Tnhelearning.edu.vn.

What is HPV virus? How many strains are there?

HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus, a virus that is spread by sexual contact or by contact with the skin of an infected person.

Biological researchers have shown that more than 100 types of HPV viruses exist that cause papillomas, of which about 40 are dangerous, causing genital diseases such as: cervix, vagina, vulva, anus , rectum, penis, scrotum,…

What is HPV virus? How many strains are there?

Genital warts and respiratory papillomas are caused by HPV types 6 and 11. This is considered a low-risk virus that does not cause cancer or other medical conditions.

The high-risk group of viruses has more than 10 types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer, the most common are 2 types: HPV 16 and HPV 18. More dangerous is that these two viruses hardly cause any symptoms. It is not a remarkable symptom, but it is the cause of more than 70% of cases of cervical cancer globally.

Causes and signs of HPV infection

Causes of HPV infection

The HPV virus is transmitted mainly through sexual contact or skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. The disease can be completely transmitted to normal people even if the infected person does not have any signs or symptoms of the disease.

HPV infection does not depend on the number of sexual partners. It is still possible to get HPV even if you only have sex with one person. However, the risk of infection is higher if you have sex with multiple sex partners.

The main factors that increase the risk of HPV infection:

• Weakened Immune System: People with weakened immune systems are more likely to get HPV.
• Unsafe contact : Touching other people’s warts or coming into contact with surfaces at risk of HPV infection such as showers, public toilets, swimming pools, …
• Reproductive status: The more births a woman has and the earlier the age at first childbearing, the higher the chance of cervical cancer caused by HPV.

Causes of HPV infection

Signs of HPV infection

90% of HPV viruses will go away on their own in about 2 years without treatment. However, there are still cases where different types of HPV remain in the body, causing genital warts.

Genital warts first appear as small blisters, which then burst and bleed, crust over and heal on their own after a few days. Usually, warts are accompanied by flu symptoms, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer and some other cancers such as throat and tongue cancer.

Common signs of cervical cancer are: Bleeding or discharge from the vagina, bleeding between periods, after sex or after menopause, pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis.

Signs of HPV infection

What can HPV cause?

If infected with dangerous strains of HPV, patients can experience health problems such as warts, herpes and some complications such as:

• Lesions of the mouth and upper respiratory tract such as: tongue, tonsils, soft palate or in the larynx and nose.
• Dangerous cancers such as cervical cancer, genital cancer, anal cancer, …

What can HPV cause?

How is HPV transmitted?

HPV is a virus that is not transmitted through bodily fluids such as semen or saliva, but rather by skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.

Therefore, HPV is most contagious during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

Note that infection can also occur if HPV comes into contact with breaks in the skin, such as a vaginal laceration.

How is HPV transmitted?

How to prevent HPV infection?

HPV infection is an almost inevitable disease, so take the following measures to help yourself minimize the possibility of HPV infection and cervical cancer:

• Using condoms correctly every time you have sex can help prevent the spread of HPV. However, you should be aware that since it cannot cover the entire skin of the genitals, it will not eliminate the possibility of you being infected with this virus.
• Therefore, prevention with a new vaccine is the most optimal method, which can be used for both men and women from 9 to 26 years old, regardless of whether they have ever had sex or not. cervical cancer.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HPV vaccination for both boys and girls ages 9 to 26. It is best not to have sex or skin contact with an infected person because the HPV vaccine will not work once infected.

How to prevent HPV infection?

Some frequently asked questions

How can I find out if I have an HPV infection?

To check if you are infected with HPV or not? First, you should go to the hospital to be examined by a doctor. Usually, a doctor can diagnose an HPV infection by looking at the warts on the patient’s body.

For genital warts, if your doctor is difficult to see, he or she will order one or more of the following tests to better understand the condition:

• VIA test: The doctor applies acetic acid to the genital area infected with HPV to check and identify flat lesions that are difficult to see.
• Pap test: Your doctor takes a sample of cells from your cervix or vagina to send them to a lab for analysis to see if there are any abnormalities that could lead to cancer.
• DNA test: This test is done on cells from the cervix to be able to recognize the DNA of existing high-risk HPV types that are associated with genital cancer.

How can I find out if I have an HPV infection?

Is HPV curable?

Genital warts can be treated with prescription medication or frozen with liquid nitrogen.

Cervical or genital cancer caused by the HPV virus can be treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery and can be a combination of methods.

Is HPV curable?

Does HPV infection during pregnancy affect the fetus?

For the most part, the HPV virus will not affect the delivery process and will not be transmitted to the fetus. Most babies born to mothers with genital warts do not have HPV-related symptoms.

The only rare exception is when some mothers with genital warts that are active due to HPV may pass the HPV virus on to their babies. This will cause HPV infection of the larynx, affecting the baby’s ability to breathe, so it will be very dangerous.

Does HPV infection during pregnancy affect the fetus?

Who should get the HPV vaccine?

Both men and women should get the HPV vaccine (especially women) between the ages of 9 and 26 . The most effective time to get vaccinated is to have never had sex.

For women, if they are over 26 years old and have tested positive for HPV, doctors still recommend vaccination because there are many different strains of the virus, but very few people are infected with many strains at the same time. help you prevent infection with the remaining strains.

For men, HPV virus is one of the causes of oropharyngeal cancer, genital cancer… Therefore, men are also recommended to be vaccinated against HPV virus to screen for cancer. danger.

Women who are married or sexually active can still get the HPV vaccine if they don’t have an HPV infection.

Who should get the HPV vaccine?

Above is the basic information about the HPV virus that Tnhelearning.edu.vn wants to send to you. Hope the article will be useful to you. Don’t forget to follow other articles from Tnhelearning.edu.vn.

Source: Vinmec.com

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