1-Why are HPV infections important?
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infections constitute the most common sexually transmitted infection group today. It is estimated that 70% of women will experience HPV infection once in their lives. Today, more than 200 subtypes of HPV have been identified. About 40 of these cause infection in the female genital tract. Approximately 15 of the types that cause infection in the genital system (Types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, 82) are considered to be high carcinogenic risk types. In other words, the risk of developing some genital cancers increases in people infected with these types. Of these types, especially types 16 and 18 appear to be the most important risk factors in the formation of cervical cancer.
Those that cause genital warts are types 6, 11, 42, 44, 54. Especially types 6 and 11 are the most common causes of genital warts.
2- What are the ways of transmission of the virus?
These viruses can be transmitted in two ways, direct and indirect.< br /> A-Direct way: It is transmitted to people who are sexually active and do not meet the safe sex criteria by entering through the mucosal cracks in the genital area. In addition, contact with infected skin and birth of the baby through the infected birth canal are also direct transmission methods. Lesions usually appear on the infected person within 3 months.
B- Indirect way: Contamination may also occur through underwear, towels and toilets that have come into contact with the virus. Since these viruses need living cells to survive, they cannot survive in non-living environments for a long time.
3-How can the person who has this infection notice?
Warts Small, raised cauliflower-shaped lesions appear in the genital area of people who are infected with the causative types. In infections with types that do not cause warts, there are generally no complaints.
The virus is eliminated from the body within 1 year in about 70% of women who have the infection, and within 2 years in about 90% of women. The virus continues to survive in the remaining 10% of people, and in some of them, changes begin in the genital cells. These changes can be revealed by Pap smear test.
4- Cancer of the HPV virus In whom is the erogenous effect more common?
First of all, the risk is increased in those who started sexual life at an early age, have more than one partner, and have other sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, people with immune system disorders and smokers are also in the risk group. Infection is very common, especially in young people aged 19-24.
Is it possible to protect from 5-HPV infections? What should be done?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to be completely protected from HPV infections, the most common sexually transmitted disease today. Using barrier methods (condoms) during sexual intercourse does not prevent these infections 100%. Because it can also be transmitted through skin contact. Extreme caution should be exercised in shared toilets. If the woman is monogamous and her husband is monogamous, then the risk is very low. HPV vaccines discovered in recent years have significant protection in this regard. There are two types of vaccines on the market;
The 1st vaccine was developed against two types of HPV. Provides over 90% protection against HPV types 16 and 18. It is administered in 3 doses, at 0, 1 and 6 months.
The 2nd vaccine was developed against four HPV types. It provides over 90% protection against types 6 and 11, which cause genital warts, and types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer. The vaccine is administered in 3 doses, at 0, 2 and 6 months.
It is recommended that the vaccines be administered to girls between the ages of 9-26, especially before the start of sexual life. The resulting protection is higher around the age of 10. In some countries, vaccination of boys is also recommended. In fact, it would be a correct approach to vaccinate men in order to reduce contagion in the society. While HPV can cause cervical cancer, vagina and vulva cancer, anus cancer and genital warts in women, it increases the risk of anal cancer in men. Additionally, laryngeal papilloma may develop in babies born vaginally in the infected birth canal. It is possible to significantly reduce all these diseases with vaccines.
6- How can HPV infections lead to cancer?
As we mentioned above, every HPV infection causes cancer. There is no transformation, and not every person who has the infection develops a permanent infection. The effects of the infection continue for more than 2 years in about 10% of people who have the infection, more in the risk group. If a person is infected with a type of HPV with high oncogenic risk, these viruses begin to change the DNA structure of cervical epithelial cells. Over a period of 12-20 years, some of the changes in the cell progress to cervical cancer. Of course, not every cellular change turns into cancer. In addition, smear tests performed every year in the risk group and every 2-3 years in the non-risk group allow us to detect the early stages of cellular change. The smear test allows us to detect cellular changes up to 10 years before cervical cancer develops.
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