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. 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 contract papillomavirus, so to avoid infection, you should know how 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 a carrier of the virus, in 50-70% of cases the people around him become infected. The main danger is that the infection, having entered the body, does not manifest itself immediately, so a person may not be aware of 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.
Contagion through domestic contact
A virus carrier can transmit a pathogenic virion (viral particle) to a healthy person through:
- Ordinary tactile contact, for example hugs, handshakes. The probability of contracting HPV increases if skin lesions are present (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 everyday 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.
Also, you can contract HPV by visiting public places such as saunas, swimming pools, fitness centers, where there are large crowds of people, many of whom neglect basic protection rules. Therefore, you should only use 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 of the partners, man or woman, is a carrier of the virus, having sexual intercourse once is enough to contract HPV (infection occurs in 95% of cases).
The virus is transmitted through any type of sexual intercourse, be it oral, vaginal or anal, while the presence of warts in the partner's anogenital area increases the risk of infection by up to 100%.
Interestingly, even a condom cannot completely protect against possible infections:
- First, 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 transmit from one partner to another;
- Secondly, the latex from which the condom is made has quite large pores. Viral particles penetrate through them unhindered.
Infection with oncogenically dangerous types of papillomaviruses occurs mainly during sexual contact. If the cancer-causing type of HPV is passed to women, they develop tumors, 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 cancer-causing virus occurs during oral sex, the likelihood of developing tonsil cancer increases.
Vertical infection (from mother to child)
Babies can become infected with papillomavirus in the womb or immediately at birth (during passage through the natural birth canal). Additionally, if the mother's HPV progresses (is in the active phase), the baby's risk of infection increases.
Intrauterine infection is extremely rare, since the placenta is able to protect the embryo from many pathogenic factors, including viral infections. Cases of transmission of HPV to the baby during passage through the birth canal of an infected mother are recorded more often.
At birth, the mucous membranes of the baby's larynx and trachea are affected, which subsequently leads to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This is a dangerous pathology that poses a threat to the life of the child. Over the course of 1 to 2 years, children with RRP develop benign tumors of the trachea and larynx, which block the airway 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, as decreased immunity increases the risk of relapse.
Some women preparing to become mothers fear that the papillomavirus may be inherited by the child, but this is not the case. Routes of infection are described above; the hereditary factor is completely excluded: HPV is a virus that is not transmitted genetically.
Self-inoculation method of infection
Autoinfection (autoinoculation) is a fairly common type of infection. An infected person should understand that any trauma to the tumors can trigger the formation of further growths.
Papillomas located on the face, neck, armpits or groin are often cut with a razor, scratched or torn during hygiene procedures. When growth integrity is disrupted, blood leaks out and flows into nearby healthy 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 the infection and the formation of multiple papillomatous rashes.
In addition, when scratching the growths with nails, particles of pathogenic epithelium remain under the plaques, which also often contributes to autoinfection. For example, after a person scratched a papilloma with his nails and suddenly decided to scratch his ear or nose, if there is even the slightest damage to the epithelium, the virus will certainly "settle" to its internal and therefore will manifest itself as characteristic growths.
After introduction into the body, HPV activation 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 immunodependent viruses, so its activation occurs during a decrease in immune defense.
The body of a healthy person, even after infection, is able to produce a sufficient amount of antibodies to completely resist viral attacks. In these 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 significantly fewer 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 pathologies of an infectious nature recently suffered;
- 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 factor that reduces the effectiveness of the human immune system can cause HPV activation.
The formation of the first growths is a reason to consult a doctor. It is not necessary to self-medicate, since in some cases inadequate therapy for papillomas leads to the development of cancerous tumors.
Treatment of papillomavirus
Since drugs capable of treating papillomavirus have not yet been invented, it is impossible to completely remove it from the body for a person after 30 years of age. HPV shedding cases are only recorded 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;
- increase the patient's immune status through the use of interferon-based 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 interrupt the process of division of atypical cells).
Antiviral drugs 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).
Immunomodulatory drugs can also be prescribed in different forms, most often these are tablets and gels for the external treatment of tumors.
Cytostatics are prescribed if, after diagnosis, it is determined that the papillomatous rashes are caused by a highly oncogenic type of HPV.
Destructive techniques that are often used to remove pathological tumors are:
- Electrocoagulation– cauterization of growths with electric current. The procedure is painful and leaves noticeable scars;
- Cryotherapy– papilloma freezes under the influence of liquid nitrogen, leaving no traces, but the procedure is recommended to remove small superficial tumors;
- Laser destruction– suitable for removing superficial and deep papillomas, a good cosmetic effect allows its use on open parts of the body;
- Radio wave technology– contactless removal of growths is performed, with a short recovery period, there are no traces or scars after the operation.
After completing the course of treatment, do not forget about preventive medical examinations. It is necessary to periodically (preferably annually) take a test for HPV, and also carefully monitor the state of the immune system.