Everyone should know how the human papilloma virus is transmitted. Is this the only way to protect yourself from dangerous diseases? Papillomas are often not given special importance. Many people believe that if a growth appears on the body, it will disappear on its own. This mistake haunts humanity, and the consequences can be undesirable.
Papilloma tissue tends to grow, leading to the spread of the papilloma virus throughout the body. Sometimes its individual strains are capable of causing a cancerous tumor.
What is human papilloma virus
This virus is a chronic infectious manifestation of various diseases that can occur in people of any age. In medical practice, this virus is of two types, one that does not carry a high risk of dangerous diseases and a virus with a high risk.
Less dangerous viruses include papillomas and warts of subtypes 6 and 11 and dangerous - 16 and 18. The latter type leads to cell mutation and cancer development.
Papilloma virus multiplies on the skin and its mucous membranes. As a result, the following growths appear on the skin:
- warts; condyloma;
- papillomas in the mouth and larynx;
- papillomas on internal organs.
There are many cases when papillomas become the cause of cervical cancer in women, as well as cancer of the male genital organs. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to know about the ways of transmitting the disease.
How the virus enters the human body
The infection spreads through a person's mucous membranes or skin. If there are no acute diseases, then the papilloma does not appear in any way and no growths form on the surface of the skin.
If growths of different colors have formed on the skin, then this indicates a precancerous condition, when the human skin and the whole body suffers from a malignant disease or the immunity is significantly reduced.
“Favorite” places for bacteria to enter are cuts, scratches, and other skin lesions through which the virus can penetrate.
The probability of infection increases if:
- A person has a cold or other reasons why immunity is significantly reduced.
- Intestinal or female genital dysbacteriosis has been observed. In this case, the beneficial microflora dies, and harmful microorganisms, in this case, human papilloma virus infection, come to replace it.
- Presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Recurrence of chronic diseases.
- Stress, depression, which reduces a person's defenses against the virus.
People who suffer from nicotine addiction and women who take birth control pills are most often affected.
Virus Spread Paths
If a person has no symptoms, it does not mean the absence of papilloma virus. The initial stage, when there are no growths yet, can be diagnosed using the latest equipment. In medicine, there are several ways in which dangerous microorganisms are transmitted.
Both men and women can be infected with the dangerous virus. The following transfer modes are distinguished:
Sexually
This is the most common method for infections. Only one sexual intercourse and the papilloma virus can be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person. It did not matter whether the contact was oral, vaginal, or anal. The risk still exists.
Many people wonder if the human papilloma virus is transmitted from a woman to a man. However, the disease is most commonly diagnosed in men, and a large number of women are capable of becoming a carrier of the disease. In this case, the place of the bacteria are the genitals or the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, where the genital warts appeared. In this case, there is a 100% risk of infection.
Papillomas develop on the anus during anal sex. Especially if there is some damage or injury. If the partner has genital warts, even the use of a condom will not provide complete protection.
Factors that contribute to the disease are:
- early onset of sexual activity;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- condyloma or warts present in a sexual partner.
Oral sex is the most common way of infecting 16 and 18 types of papillomas. In this case, the virus enters the human body through various wounds or other damage to the oral mucosa. Multiplying in the mouth, in the absence of qualified treatment, the probability of developing throat cancer is high. To avoid such consequences, you must use a condom.
If the localization of the virus is human skin, a condom will not help here. Papilloma is transmitted by direct contact with human skin, on which condyloma and warts are located.
Per household
In this case, the infection occurs in the following ways:
- Use the same towel, soap and other personal hygiene products with a person with warts on their hands. Pathology occurs if there are injuries and scratches on the body.
- The use of a single toothbrush or dish leads to infection through the patient's saliva.
- The clothing of an infected person can also become a breeding ground for the virus and be transmitted to a healthy person.
- Self-infection during shaving, epilation and other methods. The disease develops if the nipple is damaged by a razor or other object, which previously did not carry any danger. In case of damage, this growth causes the development of neoplasms, which can pose a significant danger to human health.
Infection in public places by contact with infected people
Medical practice has recorded cases where the virus was transmitted by blood transfusions, genital wart removal surgeries, when doctors inadvertently spread the focus of infection throughout the body and poor sterilization of manicure tools in salons.
Mother-to-child transmission of the virus
Human papilloma is not a hereditary disease, however, there is a risk of transmission from mother to child. When you carry a baby, the risk of transmitting the virus is minimal, but despite this, if the placenta is damaged or other changes occur, the papilloma can spread to the unborn baby.
The virus will reach it through the placenta, because the fetus has not yet formed bronchi and alveoli. In this case, the child develops respiratory papillomatosis. If there is a respiratory disorder after the birth of the child, an examination is performed, after which medication or surgery may be prescribed. The latter option is used much more often because it has a higher chance of being cured.
Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to pass all the necessary tests to exclude the risk of developing papillomas.
It is very likely that the baby will be infected with the virus as it passes through the birth canal. The consequence is the appearance of genital warts in the child's mouth and larynx, which leads to various disorders of the respiratory system and reduced immunity.
If papillomas are detected in the female genitalia before childbirth, childbirth is performed artificially to reduce the risk of infecting the baby.
Another way a child is infected by a mother is through breastfeeding. In this case, the child develops respiratory papillomatosis which is subject to immediate treatment.
Virus features in men and women
In women, the virus travels through the cervix, rectum or mouth. If there is a frequent change of sexual partners, then the risk of infection increases to the maximum level. The consequences of the disease can be infertility, cancer and many other diseases.
Papilloma virus in men most often manifests itself on the scrotum, head of the penis, anus or mouth. In men, the disease can pass without symptoms, and only after strong stress or reduced immunity can the papilloma virus develop.
The danger of HPV in men is the development of cancer of the male genital organs or anus.
To prevent the virus from entering the human body, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene, as well as lead a healthy lifestyle and be faithful to one sexual partner.