The HPV virus

The HPV virus is a virus with which at least half of all the sexually active people get infected and it causes cervical cancer... Read everything about the HPV virus in the article.

 

HPV is the most common causative agent for cervical cancer (jlp)

 

The human papilloma viruses or HPVs are a large group of viruses which can be spread from skin to skin or through mucous membrane. There are more than 100 different genotypes of HPV. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, both in men and women. HPV is the most common causative agent for cervical cancer and it also causes vulvar, anal and penile cancer.

 

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, both in men and women. (jlp)

 

An important group of HPVs are mucosal HPVs. They are divided into low-risk HPV types which cause genital warts in women and men (the most common types are HPV 6 and HPV 11) and high-risk HPV types which cause the development of cervical cancer and other pre-cancerous changes (HPV 16 and HPV 18).

 

HPV is most commonly spread through sexual intercourse. 60% of all the women below the age of 30 are infected with low-risk viruses. Approximately 15% of women are infected with high-risk viruses. High-risk HPV infection appears when the body cannot get rid of the infection. Such an infection can lay dormant for many years and it is difficult to trace.




The body controls an infection and it is possible that you will never find out about it. (jlp)

 

Inactive low-risk HPV infection is not visible and the infected area looks completely normal. The body controls an infection and it is possible that you will never find out about it. If an infection is active (high-risk HPV infection), HPV causes changes to the infected cells. The changed cells are detected as such by the PAP smear. If these cells remain undetected, the changes can lead to the development of cervical cancer.

 

HPV infection is not curable, however, it can be prevented by the HPV vaccination. In most cases, the virus excretes itself within two years . We can only treat changes to the skin (warts) and pre-cancerous changes to the cervix can be treated. A cervical smear is a component part of the preventive gynaecological examination for preventing cervical cancer.

 

Regular gynaecological examinations are vitally important as only gynaecologist, by taking and examining cells in a cervical smear (PAP test), can determine whether you are infected and take appropriate action in case of pre-cancerous changes to the cervix.

 

Regular gynaecological examinations are vitally important (jlp)

 

 

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