HPV is a viral infection transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. There are more than 100 types of HPV. There are 40 important sexually transmitted species that cause infection in the genital area, mouth and throat. It is transmitted through sexual contact or oral sex. Full sexual intercourse is not required for transmission.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in both women and men. It is predicted that even those with a small number of partners will contract HPV over time.
Transmission from mother to baby during birth is rare.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
HPV infections often do not cause symptoms, and infected people unknowingly transmit the disease to their sexual partners.
Rarely, HPV causes diseases that lead to serious health problems. Genital warts and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis caused by warts occurring in the upper respiratory tract develop due to HPV. There are types of HPV that cause cervical cancer, genital cancers, anus cancer, throat and respiratory tract cancers. The types of HPV that cause warts and the types that cause cancer are different.
99% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections. Every year, 270,000 women around the world die due to cervical cancer caused by HPV.
Cancers caused by HPV only show symptoms when they progress. For this reason, screening tests are important.
How should HPV screening tests be performed?
If those under the age of 21 have started sexual activity, HPV screening is performed according to the age of starting sexual activity. Since it is possible for HPV to regress spontaneously before the age of 21, smears are not taken.
For women aged 21-29, smears are taken once every 3 years. If the smear result is abnormal, HPV screening is requested.
At the age of 30-65, HPV screening is requested at the age of 30, if normal, 1 smear is taken every 5 years. If HPV screening is not performed, 1 smear is taken every 3 years.
If one or more of the 15 HPV virus types that cause cancer are detected, smear examination should be performed frequently.
HPV infections are a precursor to cancer within 10 or more years. shows cervical changes. Colposcopic examination is performed in the presence of abnormal precancerous cells.
Treatment of HPV infections:
Is the elimination of HPV through treatment? It is not possible. Most of the time, HPV disappears on its own. However, the treatment of warts or cancer caused by HPV infections is targeted.
Treatment of genital warts:
Medication treatment:
Treatment of genital warts:
Medication:
strong>-When the treatment of genital warts is done with chemicals applied directly to the warts, it must be applied many times until the warts disappear. Chemicals such as salicylic acid, podofilox, trichloro acetic acid destroy the wart tissue and destroy the wart layers.
-Drugs containing imiquimod, when applied to the wart area, work by increasing the immunity of the tissue to fight HPV.
-Surgical and other methods
Cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser surgery, surgical removal
Treatment of precancerous lesions in the cervix
Uterus Precancerous lesions of the mouth are classified as CIN1, CIN2, CIN3 from mild to severe. When abnormal cells are detected in the smear, a piece of suspicious tissue is taken by colposcopy and biopsy and treatment is planned according to the pathology result.
There is no need for treatment for CIN1. Half of CIN1 lesions heal spontaneously.
CIN2 –CIN3 lesions must be removed due to their potential to turn into cancer.
-LEEP (Electrosurgical Lupla Excision Procedure) is the most preferred surgical method.
-Conization Cone-shaped tissue is removed from the cervix and the area with abnormal cells is cleaned.
-Laser treatment uses a laser to destroy the cells.
HPV PREVENTION
Vaccines developed for HPV prevention are expensive. The World Health Organization reported that 85% of deaths due to cervical cancer occur in developing countries. However, in countries such as the USA, 60% of girls and 40% of boys aged 13-17 will be vaccinated.
It is recommended that men under the age of 21 and women under the age of 26 get the HPV vaccine.
People with immune deficiency (HIV/AIDS) should be vaccinated after the age of 26, if they have not been vaccinated before.
There are 2 types of vaccines in our country, and another vaccine will be added in the very near future.
With the 2 vaccines currently available in our country, H Protection against PV 16-18 is provided. These two types of HPV are responsible for approximately 80% of cervical cancers.
The quadruple vaccine also provides protection against HPV 6 and 11, which are responsible for 90% of warts.
Both the double vaccine and the quadruple vaccine must be administered intramuscularly.
The quadruple vaccine is repeated in the 2nd and 6th months after the first dose. A total of 3 doses of vaccine are administered.
The 2-shot vaccine should be repeated in the 1st and 6th months after the first dose.
At what age should the vaccine be administered?
The age at which the immune response to the vaccine is highest is 11-12 years of age. Therefore, administering the vaccine at these ages increases the chance of protection against cervical cancer in the future.
Vaccination during pregnancy?
HPV vaccine is not administered during pregnancy.
If 1 dose of vaccine was given before pregnancy, 3 vaccines are planned starting from scratch in the 6th week after birth.
If 2 doses of vaccine were given before pregnancy, the 3rd dose is given in the 6th week after birth. Breastfeeding women can get the HPV vaccine.
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