Most people do not see the potential danger in the appearance of small epithelial tumors on the body, but papillomas are not just a cosmetic defect. In some cases they can lead to irreversible consequences. The growths appear as a result of infection with HPV - a highly contagious virus that has more than 100 genotypes, and some of its types can provoke the development of oncological processes. It is easy to become infected with papillomavirus, so in order to avoid infection, you should know how the human papillomavirus is transmitted and what factors contribute to the spread of virions.
All routes of HPV infection
There is a tendency that in families where there is one virus carrier, in 50-70% of cases the people around him become infected. The main danger is that the infection, having entered the body, does not immediately manifest itself, so a person may not know about the infection for a long time and continue to be in close contact with relatives.
Important!
The absence of external manifestations of HPV does not guarantee that an infected person is absolutely safe for his close circle.
Infection through household contact
A virus carrier can transmit a pathogenic virion (viral particle) to a healthy person through:
- Ordinary tactile contact, for example, hugs, handshakes. The likelihood of contracting HPV increases if there are skin lesions (even small wounds, abrasions or scratches are enough for the infection to penetrate a healthy body);
- Using personal items of a sick person. Viral particles can live for a long time on bedding, towels, underwear, washcloths and other daily use products;
- While kissing. HPV DNA is not only found on the epithelium, it is present in all biological fluids of an infected person, and can therefore be transmitted through saliva during a kiss.
In addition, you can become infected with HPV when visiting public places such as a sauna, swimming pool, fitness center, where there are large crowds of people, many of whom neglect basic rules of protection. Therefore, you need to use exclusively personal hygiene and household products.
Sexual transmission of the virus
The most common route of transmission of human papillomavirus infection is through sexual contact. If one partner, whether a man or a woman, is a virus carrier, then 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 interaction, be it oral, vaginal or anal sex, while the presence of condylomas in the partner’s anogenital area increases the risk of infection by up to 100%.
It is interesting that even a condom cannot completely protect against possible infection:
- Firstly, papillomatous rashes can be localized not only on the genitals, but also in the groin and anus. Therefore, upon contact with unprotected areas of the body, the virus can easily be transmitted from one partner to another;
- Secondly, the latex from which the condom is made has fairly large pores. Viral particles penetrate through them unhindered.
Infection with oncogenically dangerous types of papillomavirus occurs mainly during sexual contact. If the carcinogenic type of HPV is transmitted to women, they develop neoplasia, which can develop 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 tonsillar cancer increases.
Vertical infection (from mother to child)
Children can become infected with papillomavirus in the womb or immediately at the very moment of birth (during passage through the natural birth canal). Moreover, if a mother’s HPV progresses (is in the active phase), then the risk of infection of the baby increases.
Intrauterine infection is extremely rare, since the placenta is able to protect the embryo from many pathogenic factors, including viral infections. Cases of HPV transmission to a baby during passage through the birth canal of an infected mother are recorded somewhat more often.
At the time of birth, the child’s mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea are affected, which subsequently leads to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This is a dangerous pathology that poses a threat to the baby’s life. Over the course of 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, however, even after destruction, tumors usually reappear. Parents whose children suffer from RRP need to carefully monitor the state of their immune system, since decreased immunity increases the risk of relapse.
Some women preparing to become mothers worry that the papillomavirus can be inherited by the child, but this is not the case. The routes of infection are described above; the hereditary factor is completely excluded - HPV is a virus that is not transmitted genetically.
Autoinoculation method of infection
Self-infection (autoinoculation) is a fairly common type of infection. An infected person should understand that any trauma to tumors can trigger the formation of additional growths.
Papillomas localized on the face, neck, armpits or groin are often cut off with a razor, scratched, or torn during hygiene procedures. When the integrity of the growth is disrupted, blood leaks out of it and flows into healthy neighboring areas of the body. Since viral particles are present in all biological fluids of the patient, blood entering the clean epithelium causes the spread of infection and the formation of multiple papillomatous rashes.
In addition, when scratching the growths with nails, particles of pathogenic epithelium remain under the plates, which also often contributes to self-infection. For example, after a person has scratched a papilloma with his nails and he suddenly decides to scratch his ear or nose, then if there is even the slightest damage to the epithelium, the virus will definitely "settle" in it, and then manifest itself as characteristic growths.
After introduction into the body, activation of HPV is not observed immediately; the virus requires certain conditions for full functioning.
When and what triggers 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 it is during a decrease in immune defense that its activation occurs.
The body of a healthy person, even after infection, is able to produce a sufficient amount of antibodies to fully resist viral attacks. In such people, the disease proceeds latently (in dormant mode), so there are no epithelial tumors on the body.
When the immune system is weakened, it produces a significantly smaller amount of antibodies that cannot independently suppress the virus, and then HPV becomes active with the formation of a papillomatous rash. The following unfavorable factors can provoke the transition of papillomavirus into the active phase:
- any recently suffered pathologies of an infectious nature;
- long-term use of oral contraceptives;
- uncontrolled use of cytostatic drugs (suppress the immune system);
- dysfunction in the endocrine system;
- pathological condition of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular intestinal dysbiosis;
- psycho-emotional disorders associated with frequent stress, nervousness, fatigue;
- helminth infestations;
- frequent inflammatory skin diseases;
- presence of bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs).
Important!
Any factors that reduce the effectiveness of the human immune system can cause HPV activation.
The formation of the first growths is a reason to consult a doctor. There is no need to self-medicate, since in some cases inadequate therapy for papillomas leads to the development of cancerous tumors.
Treatment of papillomavirus
Since drugs that can cure papillomavirus have not yet been invented, it is impossible to completely remove it from the body for a person after 30 years of age. Cases of HPV elimination 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 it to a latent state) by taking antiviral drugs;
- increasing the patient’s immune status through the use of interferon drugs;
- destruction of pathological neoplasms using minimally invasive hardware techniques;
- cytostatic drugs are prescribed when there is a high probability of malignancy of papillomas (they disrupt the process of division of atypical cells).
Antiviral medications prescribed by a doctor can be for oral, topical, injection, or rectal use:
- Tablets (oral use);
- Gels, ointments (external use);
- Injections (shots);
- Suppositories (rectal suppositories).
Immunomodulator drugs can also be prescribed in different forms, most often these are tablets and gels for external treatment of tumors.
Cytostatics are prescribed if, after diagnosis, it is determined that papillomatous rashes are provoked by a highly oncogenic type of HPV.
Destructive techniques that are most often used to remove pathological tumors are:
- Electrocoagulation– cauterization of growths with electric current. The procedure is painful and leaves noticeable scars;
- Cryotherapy– the papilloma freezes under the influence of liquid nitrogen, leaving no traces behind, but the procedure is recommended for removing small superficial tumors;
- Laser destruction– suitable for removing superficial and deep papillomas, a good cosmetic effect makes it possible to use on open parts of the body;
- Radio wave technique– non-contact removal of growths is carried out, with a short recovery period, there are no traces or scars after the intervention.
After completing the course of treatment, do not forget about preventive medical examinations. It is necessary to periodically (preferably every year) test for HPV, and also carefully monitor the state of the immune system.