Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a family of viruses that most commonly affects humans, both men and women.
HPV is transmitted through sexual contact. It is a virus of easy transmission, and it is very common. It is estimated that 4 out of 5 people (ie, 80%) will contract one or more types of HPV at some time in their lives
. The vast majority of the time, HPV infection is cured alone , spontaneously, especially in women under 25 years, without producing any symptoms or manifestation in the body. The diagnosis is usually a casual finding in the periodic review of the woman. If the infection, of years of evolution and undiagnosed, has been able to produce an injury (if the virus has managed to interfere with normal cellular function and alter it), it can cause symptoms. The most frequent sign is abnormal, irregular, spontaneous bleeding or with sexual intercourse. The appearance of an anomalous flow in quantity, aspect or smell can also be related to the virus.
To know if you have HPV infection, you should consult with your gynecologist and he will make the determination of it. Injuries to the cervix can be detected through the Pap, or Pap, which is a simple test that does not produce pain and lasts only a few minutes. The detection technique is performed by a brush of the cervix.
Virus infection can develop in the first sexual contact and remain in the genital tract for years or be a recent contagion. It is practically impossible to know in which encounter the contagion happened, in the case of having had several sexual partners.
The best option for prevention at present is the vaccine, as well as an adequate sex education.
During the relationship sexual, there is skin contact with mucosa at different times in which the condom is not being used. And, in any case, the correct use of the condom does not mean an absolute coverage of the entire genital area where there is contact.
The initial or precancerous lesions are of low grade and, generally, the body is able to cure them and eliminate the virus. However, in a small percentage of patients, it is more aggressive, producing high-grade lesions, and if it persists, it can eventually cause cancer.
Virtually 100% of cervical cancer cases occur in women who have had Human Papilloma Virus. Within HPV, more than 200 viral types (serotypes) are known which, in relation to the process they produce, are classified as: high risk: they are serotype 16 and 18, they are the main cause of pre-malignant lesions important in cancer of cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and penis. Low risk: they are serotype 6 and 11. They produce a high percentage of mild premalignant lesions and more than 90% of genital warts.
The treatment is for the damages generated by the virus, not for HPV as such . When the lesions are premalignant, surgery is performed in which the part of the cervix, called conization, is removed. By removing diseased tissue, the virus is usually eliminated. And this intervention does not affect the time of getting pregnant.
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