Most people do not see a potential danger in the appearance of small epithelial tumors on the body, but papillomas are not only a cosmetic defect. In some cases, they can cause irreversible consequences. Growths appear as a result of infection with HPV - a highly infectious virus with more than 100 genotypes, and some of its types can lead to the development of oncological processes. It is easy to get infected with papillomavirus, so to prevent infection you need to know how human papillomavirus is transmitted and what factors affect the spread of virions.
All routes of HPV infection
There is such a tendency that in families with one virus carrier, in 50-70% of cases, the surrounding people are infected. The main danger is that the infection entering the body does not manifest itself immediately, so a person does not know about the infection for a long time and continues to be in close contact with relatives.
It is important!
The absence of external manifestations of HPV does not guarantee that an infected person is completely safe for those around him.
Infection by household contacts
A virus carrier can transmit a pathogenic virion (viral particle) to a healthy person:
- Ordinary tactile contact, for example, hugging, shaking hands. The probability of HPV infection increases if there are skin lesions (even small wounds, scrapes or scratches are enough for the infection to penetrate a healthy body);
- Using the personal belongings of a sick person. Viral particles can live for a long time on bedding, towels, underwear, clothes and other everyday products;
- While kissing. HPV DNA is not only found in the epithelium, it is present in all biological fluids of an infected person and therefore can be transmitted through saliva during a kiss.
In addition, you can get infected with HPV when visiting public places, such as saunas, swimming pools, fitness centers, where there are many people, many of whom ignore basic protection rules. Therefore, you should only use personal hygiene and household products.
Sexual transmission of the virus
The most common way of human papillomavirus infection is sexual contact. If one of the partners, whether male or female, is a virus carrier, it is enough to have sexual intercourse once to become infected with HPV (infection occurs in 95% of cases).
The virus is transmitted through any type of sexual intercourse, be it oral, vaginal or anal sex, while the presence of condylomas in the anogenital region of the partner increases the risk of infection to 100%.
Interestingly, even condoms cannot fully protect against possible infection:
- First, papillomatous rashes can be localized not only in the genitals, but also in the groin and anus. Therefore, when in contact with unprotected areas of the body, the virus can be easily transmitted from one partner to another;
- Second, the latex from which the condom is made has fairly large pores. Viral particles penetrate them without hindrance.
Infection with oncogenic dangerous types of papillomavirus occurs mainly during sexual intercourse. If the carcinogenic type of HPV is transmitted to women, they develop neoplasia that can turn into cervical cancer.
Despite the fact that oncological pathologies of the genital organs are less common in men, the presence of genital papillomas increases the risk of malignancy. If infection with a carcinogenic virus occurs during oral sex, the likelihood of developing tonsil cancer increases.
Vertical infection (mother to child)
Children can be infected with papillomavirus in the womb or immediately after birth (while passing through the natural birth canal). Moreover, if the mother's HPV is progressing (in an active phase), the baby's risk of infection increases.
Intrauterine infection is extremely rare, because the placenta can protect the embryo from many pathogenic factors, including viral infections. Cases of transmission of HPV to the baby while passing through the birth canal of an infected mother are recorded quite often.
At birth, the mucous membranes of the child's larynx and trachea are affected, which later causes recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This is a dangerous pathology that threatens the life of the baby. Within 1-2 years, children with RRP develop benign neoplasms of the trachea and larynx, which block the airways and cause suffocation.
In such a situation, only surgical removal of papillomatous growths will help, but even after destruction, tumors usually reappear. Parents whose children suffer from RRP should carefully monitor the state of the immune system, because a decrease in immunity increases the risk of relapse.
Some women who are about to become mothers are worried that the papillomavirus can be inherited by the child, but this is not the case. The routes of infection are described above; a hereditary factor is completely excluded - HPV is a virus that is not genetically transmitted.
Autoinoculation method of infection
Self-infection (autoinoculation) is a fairly common type of infection. The infected person should understand that any trauma to tumors can cause the formation of additional growths.
Papillomas localized on the face, neck, armpit or groin are often cut, scratched or torn with a razor during hygiene procedures. When the integrity of the growth is disturbed, blood leaks from it and flows to healthy neighboring areas of the body. Since viral particles are present in all biological fluids of the patient, the blood entering the clean epithelium causes the spread of infection and the formation of multiple papillomatous rashes.
In addition, when scratching growths with nails, particles of the pathogenic epithelium remain under the plates, which often leads to self-infection. For example, after a person scratches a papilloma with his nails and suddenly decides to scratch his ear or nose, if there is even the slightest damage to the epithelium, the virus will definitely "settle" there and then manifest itself. as characteristic increments.
After entering the body, the activation of HPV is not immediately observed, certain conditions are required for the virus to work fully.
When and what causes HPV activation
How quickly and actively the papillomavirus begins to behave after infection is determined by the immune status of the infected person. HPV is part of the group of immune-dependent viruses, so its activation occurs when the immune defense is reduced.
A healthy person's body, even after infection, can produce enough antibodies to completely resist viral attacks. In such people, the disease continues in a latent (sleeping mode), therefore, there are no epithelial tumors in the body.
When the immune system is weakened, it produces significantly less antibodies that cannot independently suppress the virus, and then HPV is activated with the formation of a papillomatous rash. The following adverse factors can cause the papillomavirus to enter the active phase:
- any pathology of an infectious nature;
- long-term use of oral contraceptives;
- uncontrolled use of cytostatic drugs (suppresses the immune system);
- dysfunction in the endocrine system;
- pathological condition of the gastrointestinal tract, especially intestinal dysbiosis;
- psycho-emotional disorders often associated with stress, nervousness, fatigue;
- helminth infection;
- frequent inflammatory skin diseases;
- the presence of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs).
It is important!
Any factor that reduces the effectiveness of the human immune system can cause the activation of HPV.
The appearance of the first growths is a reason to consult a doctor. There is no need to self-medicate, because in some cases, inadequate therapy for papilloma leads to the development of cancerous tumors.
Treatment of papillomavirus
Since drugs that can treat papillomavirus have not yet been invented, it is impossible for a person to completely remove it from the body after the age of 30. Cases of eradication of HPV are recorded only in young people under 25 years of age.
Treatment of papillomatosis is carried out in three directions:
- suppression of viral activity (returning to a latent state) by taking antiviral drugs;
- increasing the patient's immunity with the use of interferon drugs;
- destruction of pathological neoplasms using minimally invasive hardware methods;
- cytostatic drugs are prescribed when papillomas are highly likely to be malignant (they disrupt the process of dividing atypical cells).
Antiviral medications prescribed by a doctor may be for oral, topical, injection, or rectal use:
- Tablets (oral use);
- Gels, ointments (external use);
- injections (needles);
- Suppositories (rectal suppositories).
Immunomodulatory drugs can also be prescribed in various forms, in most cases they are tablets and gels for the external treatment of tumors.
After diagnosis, if it is determined that papillomatous rashes are provoked by highly oncogenic HPV, cytostatics are prescribed.
The most commonly used destructive methods to remove pathological tumors:
- Electrocoagulation– burning growths with electric current. The procedure is painful and leaves visible scars;
- Cryotherapy- the papilloma freezes under the influence of liquid nitrogen, leaving no traces, but the procedure is recommended to remove small superficial tumors;
- Laser destruction– suitable for removing superficial and deep papillomas, good cosmetic effect allows to use on open parts of the body;
- Radio wave technique- non-contact removal of growths is carried out, with a short recovery period, no traces and scars remain after the intervention.
After completing the course of treatment, do not forget preventive medical examinations. It is necessary to periodically (preferably annually) test for HPV, as well as carefully monitor the state of the immune system.