Papillomavirus or HPV is a microorganism with dozens of subspecies. Depending on what strain of the virus there is in a person, there are certain changes on the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs.
Especially dangerous are HPV, related to oncogenic sub-species, that is, they increase the risk of malignant diseases. The analysis on papilloma, made on time, helps to establish a strain of papillomavirus and accordingly to receive antiviral treatment, which is also the prevention of cancer.
Reasons for the appearance of HPV
Human papillomavirus is one of the most widespread viruses worldwide.
The virus is transmitted only from person to person, but in several ways. The most basic is sexual, and it can be like traditional sexual contact, so oral or anal. Jump HPV can from the mother in the process of giving birth to the baby, and often after a while the papillomas are revealed in the mouth and throat of the child.
Often, papillomavirus is transmitted by contact, that is, through damaged skin or when using certain personal items by different people. The microorganism perfectly maintains its viability in a humid and warm environment, so its owner is easy to become after visiting the bath or pool.
Increases the risk of infection with certain characteristics of sexual activity. This is its early start, frequent change of partners, sexually transmitted diseases, and women's abortions. Sexually, HPV is infected in most cases by women, which doctors associate with the anatomical features of the structures of their genital organs.
The papilloma virus does not always manifest itself immediately, in most cases before its appearance on the skin and mucous membranes it takes several months and years.
Several causative factors are responsible for activating the pathogen, they are attributed to their group:
- A marked weakening of the immune system. This is observed after severe infectious diseases, after prolonged antibiotic treatment, with frequent respiratory ailments.
- Negative influence of prolonged and frequent psychoemotional stresses.
- Presence of chronic diseases of the genital area, urinary organs, digestive tract.
- Avitaminosis.
- Bad habits - long-term smoking, alcohol abuse.
Activation of the virus leads to the fact that it accumulates in a large amount in a certain area of the body or on the mucous membranes and changes the structure and function of cells located here. The result of this process is the appearance of warts and papillomas.
Especially dangerous are genital warts that appear on the external genitalia, and in women inside the vagina. Growth on the skin can be either single or multiple, they are often injured, which increases the risk of degeneration of normal cells into atypical cells.
How and why does an analysis for the human papillomavirus virus come?
When a papilloma appears on the human body, a dermatologist can unequivocally say that there is a virus in the body of this patient.
But in order to make the treatment as effective as possible, laboratory diagnostics is needed, which allows to determine the type of the virus and its quantity in the body.
It is mandatory to clarify the HPV strain if papillomatous growths are detected:
- On the external genitalia, in women in the vagina and in men on the penis and in the urethra.
- In the throat and mouth area.
- Around the anus.
Carrying out the analysis in this case allows to establish the belonging of the virus to the oncogenic or non-oncogenic group.
This allows the doctor to presume the outcome of the disease and prescribe a treatment that prevents the likelihood of developing a malignant lesion. Analysis of the human papilloma virus is necessary and if precancerous conditions are revealed, in women it is dysplasia or leukoplakia of the cervix.
It is recommended that the analysis of papillomavirus is made for every woman after 30 years of age. Ideally, it should be retaken once every three to five years. Such an attitude toward one's health will reveal the development of atypical cells in the early stages of their appearance.
To determine HPV in the human body, various diagnostic methods have been developed. The patient is taking blood for analysis, scraping and smear in women with cervical canal and cervix. In men, for analysis, cells from the urethral mucosa, the secret of the prostate are needed.
If necessary, if a suspected HPV is suspected, a biopsy is performed. That is, a small piece of tissue is taken from the area of cell transformation.
Diagnostic methods
Modern medical centers have several methods for detecting HPV in the human body. The most commonly used are the following:
- PCR is a polymerase chain reaction. This method is based on the detection of human papillomavirus DNA, which makes it possible to find the microorganism with the greatest probability. The study requires biological fluids - blood, saliva, urine, amniotic fluid or scraping from the mucous layer of the neck or urethra. DNA diagnosis also helps to establish the type of microorganism and its quantitative ratio at the time of sampling.
- The Daydin test is a modern highly sensitive analysis of , which allows one to classify the virus as one of the hundred strains and determine its oncogenicity. For analysis on papilloma, scraping from the vagina or urethra is necessary. Interpretation of the results is performed by a doctor. The test allows to detect the concentration of the virus, which indicates a high risk of the degeneration of the altered cells into cancer cells. Therefore, this study is necessary for the appointment of the most effective preventive treatment.
If positive test results or in case of doubtful results, a repeated diagnosis is assigned. It allows you to evaluate the results of treatment and accurately determine whether a person is infected with HPV.
But even with negative results, any person, if possible, should undergo a periodic examination, because you can get infected at any time.
Features of examination in women
The diagnosis of papillomavirus in women has its own characteristics. The most informative is a qualitatively taken scraping from the zone of visible changes and from the cervical canal.
The material is obtained by using a special brush, simultaneously taking a smear for cytology. In some cases, a universal medical probe can be used for sampling. The material should not be taken during menstruation, as it will show unreliable results.
Patients of a gynecologist who have not reached the age of thirty are assigned only cytology. The identification of HPV before the age of 30 is not informative - it is believed that infection in young people is secretive.
After 30 years of cytology is assigned along with the test for pimillomavirus. At this time, it is important not to miss a moment indicating the degeneration of normal cells into cancerous cells.
The role of genotyping?
Genotyping is a laboratory definition of the type of virus. Such a study has several advantages, this is:
- Simultaneous detection of several strains of the virus.
- Determination of the degree of oncogeneity of HPV.It is believed that cervical cancer occurs if a woman has 16 and 18 types of HPV.
- The ability to recognize reinfection from a persistent( chronic) infection in repeated analyzes.
Detection of oncogenic strains allows the doctor to choose the treatment regimen that will provide the maximum antiviral effect on the body and provide preventive prevention of the development of cancers.
Repeated genotyping shows the effectiveness of therapy, since repeated infection with the same strain is impossible.
Price for tests
The cost of tests for the presence of human papillomavirus in the body depends on what kind of examination is scheduled.
The methods and the course of the HPV examination are described in this video: