About 80% of the world's population is infected with human papillomavirus. It is important to know how HPV is transmitted, as genital warts and malignant degenerative growths can also be seen in the body, not just harmless papillomas caused by HPV infection. Perhaps this knowledge will help one to avoid infection and protect against dangerous diseases such as cervical cancer, vulva, vagina, anal passage, penis and even breast. In this article we will tell you about HPV: the route of infection, risk factors and preventive measures.
How is human papillomavirus transmitted?
First of all, it should be noted that the papilloma passes through the epidermis and saliva. At the same time, for some time the infection can not feel and manifest itself with the formation of genital warts and papillomas with a decrease in immunity.
If we talk about how the papilloma virus is transmitted, the likelihood of infection increases significantly if there are injuries, scratches and abrasions on the skin.
Attention!Many people wonder if papilloma is inherited. The answer is no. When only one family member is infected, the papilloma virus is transmitted to the unborn baby in daily life or at birth.
The following ways of human-to-human transmission of a viral infection are known:
- Infects in everyday life, ie in touch, in common household items, in clothes. The infection can be transmitted through kissing.
- If a person has genital papillomas, transmission can occur sexually, ie during unprotected sex.
- Self-infection is possible during shaving, epilation and other skin damage. Because papillomas are contagious to the surrounding healthy skin cells, a person can transmit the virus from diseased parts of the body to healthy ones.
- The vertical route of infection is the transmission of the infection from mother to child at birth.
- In very rare cases, the infection occurs during blood transfusions, during the surgical removal of neoplasms caused by HPV. Infection is not excluded in beauty salons, manicure rooms, baths, saunas and swimming pools, which do not follow the rules of asepsis.
If we talk about how you can get papilloma, 70% of sexually transmitted infections are caused by men. When there is an epithelial neoplasm on the lips or genitals, the probability of infection is about 90%. It should be noted that the presence of a condom reduces the risk of infection, but still does not guarantee 100% protection, because HPV can penetrate the skin of the hands and other parts of the body through microtrauma. In addition, condylomata can be localized in the groin or groin area where the condom will not be protected from direct contact with a partner.
Important!If one partner is a carrier of the virus but does not have papilloma, warts, or genital warts, the other partner's risk of infection is significantly reduced.
If you list all the ways in which a newborn can be infected with papillomavirus, the chances of infection in the prenatal period are low because the virus does not enter the bloodstream and the fetus is reliably protected by amniotic fluid, bladder and placenta. However, in medical practice, cases of intrauterine infection, damage to the placenta and fetal bladder have been reported rarely.
For women planning a pregnancy, it is important to know if the baby's father is contagious and can pass the infection to the expectant mother, as genital warts that occur during pregnancy are very dangerous for the baby. If the baby is infected at birth, there is a risk of laryngeal papillomatosis and subsequent suffocation. Because the infection is transmitted through saliva, it is important to consider the presence of papillomas, genitals, and warts in a man's mouth and oral mucosa, as a woman can become infected through oral sex.
If a family member has papilloma, it is important for all family members to know how it is transmitted in everyday life:
- The virus can penetrate skin microtrauma through shared bedding, towels, soap, cosmetics, clothing and other personal items;
- Saliva infection is possible when using a toothbrush, glasses or other utensils;
- Infection with clothing and other household items is also possible.
Risk Factors
We thought about how you can be infected with human papillomavirus, but it is equally important to know not only the routes of transmission, but also the risk factors for human papillomavirus infection.
This means that human papillomavirus penetrates the skin and mucous membranes more easily against the background of the following triggers:
- In men, children and women, the infection is most likely to occur against a background of decreased immunity. A common cold or sore throat can help.
- The risk of HPV infection increases when the intestinal or vaginal microflora is disturbed. In the first case, the general immunity suffers, in the second case, the body's local defenses are reduced and the likelihood of sexual intercourse increases.
- Genital infections are more likely to be caused by other sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis).
- Any route of infection can be potentially dangerous for a person against the background of an exacerbation of a chronic disease, when the body is weakened by the disease.
- There is no doubt that papillomas are contagious. If the immune system is weakened by stress, energy loss, overwork, or depression, the virus can easily penetrate the cells of a healthy person from the host.
Important!Any virus is more easily transmitted to men and women with bad habits (smoking, alcohol). The risk of infection is also significantly increased in women taking combined contraceptives.
The following conditions and diseases are predisposing factors for sexually transmitted infections:
- earlier onset of sexual activity;
- prostitution;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- perverted sex life;
- history of sexually transmitted diseases;
- over 35 years of age;
- cervical pathology;
- Immune deficiency conditions.
Prevention
Now that we understand how human papillomavirus (women, men, and children) works, it's time to look at prevention. It should be noted immediately that the most effective way to prevent infection is prophylactic vaccination. To date, two types of vaccines are known with this infection. They protect against the most dangerous oncogenic strains of viral infections. However, the high effectiveness of such protection is observed only at an early age, before sexual intercourse, or before vaccination with one of the HPV strains.
As for other prevention methods, no one has abolished the rules of hygiene, condom use, abstinence from sex and bad habits. It is useful to maintain the strength of the immune system: eat properly, get nervous, exercise, walk in the fresh air, take vitamins from time to time.