20/11/2018
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
There are over 100 types of this virus which is often asymptomatic. Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans between ages 15 and 49 have been infected. It can be contracted through one partner and remain dormant allowing it to be transmitted to another. Some types can cause cervical cancer.
Ge***al HPV infection is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by human papillomavirus. Human papillomavirus is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different strains. More than 30 of these are sexually transmitted and they can infect the ge***al area of men and women. Approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV and at least 50% of sexually active men and women will acquire HPV at some point in their lives. By age 50 at least 80% of women will have acquired HPV and about 6.2 million Americans get a new HPV infection each year. Most people who have HPV don't know that they are infected. The virus lives in the skin or mucous membranes and usually causes no symptoms. Commonly some people get visible ge***al warts or have pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, v***a, a**s, or p***s. Very rarely, HPV results in a**l or ge***al cancers. Ge***al warts usually appear soft, moist, pink, or flesh colored swellings. They can be raised, flat, single, or multiple, small or large and sometimes cauliflower shaped. Warts may not appear for weeks or months or not at all and the only way to diagnose them is by visible inspection. Most women are diagnosed with HPV on the basis of abnormal pap tests and there are no tests available for men. There is no cure for HPV. The surest way to eliminate risk for HPV is to refrain from any ge***al contact with another individual. For those who choose to be sexually active, a long term monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner is the strategy most likely to prevent future HPV infections.The next best way to help reduce risk is using a condom but the effectiveness is unknown.
What is the connection between HPV and cervical cancer?
All types of HPV cause mild pap test abnormalities which do not have serious consequences. Approximately 10 of the 30 identified HPV types can lead to development of cervical cancer. Research as shown that for most women, 90% cervical HPV infection becomes undetectable within two years. Although only a small proportion of women have persistent infection, persistent infection with the high risk types of HPV is the main risk factor for cervical cancer.
A pap test can detect pre-cancerous and cancerous cells on the cervix. Regular pap testing and careful medical follow up, with treatment if necessary, can help ensure that pre-cancerous changes in the cervix caused by HPV infection do not develop into life threatening cervical cancer. The pap test used in the U.S. cervical cancer screening programs is responsible for greatly reducing deaths from cervical cancer.
