Human PapillomaVirus
HPV is the most sexually transmitted infection that is spread through direct skin to skin contact.It doesn't always cause any symptoms so it's no surprise that over 79 million people in the United States are infected. It is usually harmless and goes away by itself but certain types lead to cancer or genital wart. There are over 100 HPVs. About 40 of them can affect your genital area(vulva,vagina, penis,cervix,rectum,anus and scrotum) and also your mouth and throat . It's can also be transmitted to infants during birth causing genital or respiratory system infection.
HPV may not cause symptoms at once, but they can appear years later. HPV is the major cause of cervical cancer.
GENITAL WARTS
You get genital warts by having skin to skin contact with someone who is infected often during vaginal, oral or anal sex. Genital warts can be spread even if no one cums. There mustn't be penetrative contact. You can also spread them even if there are no visible warts or symptoms this is on rare occasions. It usually takes weeks months or even years for genital warts to show up after you've been infected.
You can actually have HPV type that causes genital wart but still not have the symptoms.
Genital warts are different from warts you might get elsewhere on your body. So you cant get genital warts by touching warts on the hand or foot.
Warts are growth that appear on the genitals. They are soft and moist swellings. They maybe raised,flat or cauliflower-shaped. An infected person may have clusters of wart or just one wart. It can cause pain, discomfort and itching. It can also cause vaginal discharge, bleeding and burning sensation in women.
Warts are transmitted through sexual activities and you may not develop it for several weeks after infection.
Genital warts on males may appear on the
- cervix
- penis
- groin
- thigh
- inside or around the anus.
Genital warts on females may appear - inside or outside of the vagina or anus
- cervix.
Genital warts are common to people who - smoke,
- are under the age of 30,
- have immune system weakness
- have history of child abuse.
Genital wart may also appear on the lips,tongue,throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person.
TREATMENT
Warts often go away with time but cannot be treated once it's in your blood stream. This means you will have several outbreaks in the course of your life. They are so many treatment available for the removal of warts. Your doctor can decide to
- Put chemical on the wart to reduce growth or make them go away
- Give you a prescription for a cream that you can put on the wart
You may also need surgery if the medication above doesn't work. E.g.
- Cryotherapy(freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen)
- Electrocautery(using electric current to burn off warts)
- Surgical excision(using of special tools to cut off warts)
- Laser treatment(use of intense beam of light to remove warts)
CERVICAL CANCER
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women living in less developed regions. Most women will get one or more types of HPV at least once in their lives. The body usually fights off the infection but in some women the body doesn't fight off the HPV infection due to their low immune system and other factors which leads to changes in their cervical cells. Once this cells begin to change, it takes 10-15 years before invasive cancer occurs. If detected early it can be treated before cells become cancerous. HPV type 16 and 18 causes cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions, that's while it's advisable to go for Pap smear for early detection. There are three different types of cervical cancer screening test
- HPV testing for high risk HPV types
- Visual inspection with acetic acid
- Conventional (Pap)test and liquid based cytology
RISK FACTORS
These factors may develop a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer
- Immune system deficiency : women with low immune system have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer
- Herpes : Herpes increases a woman's chances of developing cervicalcancer
- Smoking
- Age : Girls younger than 15yrs rarely develop cervical cancer. The risk goes up between late teens and mid-30's. That's why women of this age and above are advices to always go for Pap smear test and HPV test.
- Oral contraceptives
- HIV/AIDS
- Low level of folic acid
- Exposure Diethylstilbestrol given to pregnant women to avoid miscarriage.
SYMPTOMS OF CERVICAL CANCER
Symptoms do not always occur when cervical cancer develops but when they do l, they may include
- Abnormal Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
- Fatigue and weight loss
- Odorous discharge
- A single swollen leg
- Back, leg or pelvic pain
- Menstrual bleeding that is longer and heavier than usual
TREATMENT
Treatment for most stages of cervical cancer include
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery, such as hysterectomy( you won't be able to have conceive after this procedure) and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or without the removal of both ovaries and Fallopian tubes
HPV VACCINES
There are three brands of HPV vaccines GARDASIL,GARDASIL 9, CERVARIX. They protect against HPV 16 and 18 which are the known causes of cervical cancer.GARDASIL protect against types 6and 11 which cause 90% of cases of genital wart.These vaccines work best when administered prior to exposure to HPV. These Vaccines cannot cure HPV infections. It's only a preventive measure. It is best to vaccinate girls aged 9-13years before they become sexually active.
References
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus_infection
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv/what-are-symptoms-hpv
https://www.healthline.com/health/std/genital-warts#home-remedies