Human Papilloma Virus, also called HPV, is part of a virus family that infects humans. HPV is transmitted from person to person by sexual contact; in some rare cases skin contact or oral contact has also been proved as the cause of the infection. There are almost two hundred types of HPV identified and most of them cause no symptoms and the infected person is usually unaware of the infection and the body’s immune system makes the infection disappear in a year or two.
But some 30 to 40 of the viruses can cause clinical manifestations in the epidermis commonly called warts in the genital areas in humans. HPVs can be broadly classified into cutaneous types and mucosal types, based on the clinical location of these lesions.
Other types, classified as ‘high-risk’ can cause pre-cancerous lesions; but they are different from the ones causing the warts. In some rare cases, warts have been formed on the throat and larynx area, causing respiratory distress. In some cases, there have been lesions that reappear regularly; such cases should be treated with utmost care and regular screening by Papsmear or other such methods to help in diagnosing before cancer develops. Warts left untreated might disappear; the viruses that cause warts are entirely different from those that cause cancerous lesions.
HPV and Cancer
HPV has been identified as the underlying cause in almost all cases of cervical cancer by the HPV and Cervical Cancer Resource Centre. It is the number one cause of women suffering from cancer of the cervix, followed by cancers of the vulva and the vagina. In men, it is the root cause of penile and anal cancer. If you are prone to repeated skin lesions resulting from HPV infections, then you should get a Papsmear done annually just to rule out cancer, as it is better to catch it in the early years.
Instances of oral and anal cancers in both sexes have been linked to HPV. Oral cancer occurrences happen more in the male population than the female. It is especially prevalent in the gay community as same sex partners are a lot more likely to indulge in oral sex and sodomy than heterosexuals. Throat infections from HPV can also result in Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis. This is essentially a wart growing in the throat or larynx resulting in speech and breathing difficulties. However such cases are pretty rare.
Incidence of HPV
According to the Center for Disease Control, the CDC which is the authority for all communicable diseases in the USA, an average of 20 million people suffer from HPV related infections with another six million newly infected joining them every year. But the body heals itself, curing great numbers of infections without humans doing anything about it.
Vaccines for HPV
There are now vaccines available for the prevention of the HPV related infections. But for them to be effective, you have to get the vaccination before becoming sexually active, otherwise it may be too late. In essence, boys and girls can get vaccinated in the ages of nine to thirteen for best results. The vaccines are called Gardasil for both sexes and Cervarix, meant only for women.
Prevention of HPV
Preventing cervical cancer involves regular screening which cannot be wished away if one is prone to skin lesions in the genital area, which might lead to invasive cancer. There is HPV DNA testing available that can study your cervix and assess how predisposed you are to suffer from cervical cancer, which is even more effective than a Papsmear test. Even after having been vaccinated there is a good chance that you might end up with cervical cancer if there are frequent enough lesions, so better to get tested periodically than be sorry.
Preventing penile and anal cancers require abstaining from having multiple sexual partners and from changing partners frequently. There are some specific tests available to help in early diagnosis, including an anal Pap smear to detect anal cancer.
Information about preventing head and neck cancers is available with specialized doctors in the field, but general information is still not available as studies are ongoing. Here are some known preventive measures you can take for HPV infection.
HPV Treatment Measures
Although the virus can’t be entirely removed from the body, there are some treatment options that you can opt for in order to remove the genital warts caused due to infection.
1. Treating Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer due to HPV causes abnormal cell changes, and this can be treated through the following methods:
- Cryotherapy: The abnormal cancer cells are singled out and these are frozen and effectively removed by using liquid nitrogen.
- Excision: Abnormal cancerous cells can also be removed through the Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure, a process in which the cells are eliminated by passing electrical current in a painless way.
- Conization: The abnormal areas are removed manually through this process, which is also known as a cone biopsy.
2. Treating Genital Warts
Small and large flat or raised genital warts are caused due to HPV infection. These warts can be flesh colored and they can appear in the genital region, encompassing the scrotum, cervix, groin and anus. Such warts can be treated in the following ways:
- Medication: Medication like Imiquimod (also called Aldara) and Podofilox (also called Condyflox) can be taken in order to counter the warts that rise due to HPV infection.
- Cryotherapy: The warts are frozen using liquid nitrogen and they are then removed fully.
- Electrocautery: Through this procedure, the warts are removed by applying electric current.
- Chemicals: Chemicals like tricholaracetic acid can be applied to the skin as these can help in removing the warts.
- Surgical Methods: The warts can be removed through surgical means, using a scalpel.
These treatment methods can help in temporarily treating the offshoots that occur due to a HPV infection. There is no specific time beyond which the HPV infection will start receding, and this may vary from one person to another.
