Every year during the physical examination season, for many female friends, cervical cancer screening is a must-check item. So what is the HPV virus and what are its types? What are the main routes of transmission of HPV infection?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="4" > First of all, let's talk about what is HPV? </h1>
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a papilloma vacuolevirus genus A belonging to the family Lactoclerophoridae, which is a spherical DNA virus that can cause the proliferation of the squamous epithelium of the mucous membranes of human skin.
HPV is highly resistant, can withstand drying and long-term preservation, and can be inactivated by heating or formalin treatment, so high temperature disinfection and 2% glutaraldehyde disinfection can be inactivated.
At present, more than 130 kinds of clinical manifestations have been isolated, and different types have caused different clinical manifestations, which can be divided into: low-risk skin type, high-risk skin type, mucosal low-risk type, and mucosal high-risk type according to the different parts of the invaded tissue.
Skin-type HPV population infection rate is very common, such as common common warts, toe warts, flat warts, etc., can not get a specific infection rate, more attention is high-risk type of HPV infection and external genital HPV infection caused by genital warts and cervical cancer, according to statistics in the global STDs, HPV infection caused by genital warts accounted for 15-20%.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="14" > the clinical manifestations of different types of HPV virus infection are different</h1>
1. Low-risk HPV infection
Benign skin manifestations of low-risk HPV infection include common warts (rice-grain-sized papules with marked keratosis, rough, prickly apex, hard texture, and lesions that can be individual or multiple, and can be inoculated and gradually increased. It mostly occurs in the hands, feet, etc.), perioplasmic warts, plantar warts, filamentous warts, flat warts, etc.
2. External genital diseases
Benign manifestations of external genital disease include genital warts (genital warts), which include three states: typical manifestations, subclinical infections, and latent infections.
3. High-risk HPV infection
Clinical manifestations of high-risk HPV infection: there are data indicating that epithelial tumors such as Bowen disease, basal cell carcinoma, Pager's disease, and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin are also associated with such viral infections.
The mucous membranes are manifested as cervical cancer, canal cancer, tonsillar cancer, oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, intranasal cancer, esophageal cancer, etc.
Globally, about 500,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and about 288,000 people with cervical cancer die. Cervical cancer is the fourth malignant tumor affecting the health of women in the world, and it is also the second largest malignant tumor in women in China.
In recent years, the incidence of cervical cancer has increased at an average annual rate of 8.7%. About 85% of women will be infected or exposed to HPV throughout their lives, but not all infected people will develop cervical cancer.
In most cases, infected HPV is automatically cleared by the body's immune system in about 6-12 months, showing a transient infection; only a few with persistent infection increase the risk of cervical cancer.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="28" > understand the transmission route of HPV in order to be targeted and avoid infection with HPV</h1> virus
HPV transmission routes can be divided into direct and indirect routes.
1. Direct path
Direct behavior refers to sexual behavior, the HPV virus mainly through sexual behavior to spread infection, its highly contagious, spreading faster than some sexually transmitted pathogenic microorganisms, such as HIV. About 80% of people become infected throughout their lives, usually shortly after their first sexual encounter.
Most people with HPV infection have no signs or symptoms, do not know they are infected, and they can continue to transmit the virus to their sexual partners. High-risk sexual activity, including unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, and too young to first sexual age, can cause HPV infection. HPV-positive papillomavirus infection is contagious, most of which are transmitted through sexual activity and fall under the category of STDs.
2. Indirect route
Indirect transmission refers to the fact that after the hand comes into contact with HPV-contaminated items, it often occurs when going to the toilet or bathing, and may bring the virus into the reproductive organs.
Or genital organs exposed to HPV-contaminated bath towels, underwear, underwear, and hygiene products can also spread HPV. In particular, we should remind everyone that daily activities such as eating together and shaking hands will not be infected with HPV.
There are other routes of transmission that are easily overlooked, such as iatrogenic infections: poor protection by medical staff during treatment and care, resulting in self-infection or transmission to patients through medical staff; mother-to-child transmission: close contact between babies through the birth canal of pregnant women.
There is no need to be overly nervous about the HPV virus, and doing a good job of protection and timely examination can effectively prevent the HPV virus. Women who have had sex are recommended to undergo cervical cancer screening at a medical institution every year, which mainly includes HPV screening for cervical cancer and TCT (cervical cell expulsion examination).
Do not share personal life items or utensils with others. Regular sexual partners and the use of condoms throughout sex are effective protection measures. Maintaining good living habits, insisting on exercise, and improving immunity can effectively prevent HPV.
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