Everyone needs to know how the human papillomavirus is transmitted. Is this the only way to protect yourself from dangerous diseases? Often papillomas are not given much 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 in the body. Sometimes its individual strains are capable of causing a cancerous tumor.
What is human papillomavirus
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. It is the latter type that leads to cell mutation and cancer.
The papilloma virus multiplies on the skin and its mucous membranes. As a result, the following growths form on the skin:
- warts;
- warts;
- papillomas in the mouth and larynx;
- papillomas of the internal organs.
There are many cases where papillomas become the cause of cervical cancer in women, as well as cancer of the male genitalia. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to know about the ways of disease transmission.
How the virus enters the human body
The infection spreads through the mucous membranes or skin of a person. 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, this indicates a precancerous condition when the human skin and the whole body suffer from malignancy or immunity is significantly reduced.
"Favorite" places for bacteria to enter are cuts, abrasions and other skin lesions that the virus can penetrate.
The likelihood of infection increases if:
- A person has colds or other reasons why immunity is severely reduced.
- There is dysbacteriosis of the intestines or female genitals. In this case, the death of beneficial microflora occurs and harmful microorganisms, in this case, human papillomavirus infection, come to replace it.
- The presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Recurrence of chronic diseases.
- Stress, depression, which reduces a person's protection against viruses.
Most often, people suffering from nicotine addiction, as well as women taking contraceptives, are sick.
Virus distribution pathways
If a person has no symptoms, it does not mean the absence of papilloma virus. The initial stage, when there are still no growths, can be diagnosed with the help of the latest equipment. In medicine, there are several ways to transmit dangerous microorganisms.
Both men and women can be infected with a dangerous virus. The following transfer methods are distinguished:
Sexually
This is the most common method of infection. Only one sexual intercourse and the papilloma virus can be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person. It does not matter whether the contact was oral, vaginal or anal. The risk still exists.
Many people are interested in the question of whether the human papillomavirus is transmitted from woman to man. The disease is most often diagnosed in men and a large number of women are able to become carriers of the disease. In this case, the location of the bacteria is the genitals or the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, where genital warts have appeared. In this case there is a 100% risk of infection.
Papillomas form during anal sex on the anus. Especially if there is any damage or injury. If your partner has genital warts, even using a condom will not provide complete protection.
Contributing factors to the disease are:
- early onset of sexual activity;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- warts or warts present on a sexual partner.
Oral sex is the most common method 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, there is a high probability of developing throat cancer. To avoid such consequences, you should use a condom.
If the localization of the virus is human skin, then a condom will not help here. Papilloma is transmitted by direct contact with human skin, on which warts and warts are located.
By household
In this case, the infection occurs in the following ways:
- Use the same towel, soap and other personal care products with a person with warts on their hands. Pathology occurs if there are injuries and abrasions on the body.
- Using a toothbrush or cutlery causes an infection through the patient's saliva.
- The clothing of an infected person can also become a breeding ground for the development of the virus and be transmitted to a healthy person.
- Self-infection by shaving, hair removal and other methods. The disease develops if the wart is damaged by a razor or other object that did not previously pose any danger. In case of damage, this growth provokes the development of neoplasms that can pose a significant threat to human health.
Infection in public places through contact with infected people
Medical practice has reported cases where the virus has been transmitted through blood transfusions, operations to remove genital warts, when doctors inadvertently spread the source of infection throughout the body and poor sterilization of manicure instruments in salons.
Transmission of the virus from mother to child
Human papilloma is not a hereditary disease, but there is still a risk of mother-to-child transmission. When you are carrying a baby, the risk of transmitting the virus is minimal, but 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, as the fetus has not yet formed the bronchi and alveoli. In this case, the child develops respiratory papillomatosis. If the baby has a respiratory disorder after birth, then 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 papilloma.
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 in the child of genital warts in the mouth and larynx, which leads to various disorders of the respiratory system and reduced immunity.
If papillomas were found in a woman's genitals before giving birth, then the birth is performed artificially to reduce the risk of infection in the baby.
Another way to infect a baby from the mother is through breastfeeding. In this case, the child develops respiratory papillomatosis, which is subject to immediate treatment.
Characteristics of the virus in men and women
In women, the virus passes 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.
Papillomavirus in men most often occurs in the scrotum, head of the penis, anus or mouth. In men, the disease can be asymptomatic, only after severe stress or reduced immunity can the development of papillomavirus occur.
The dangerous moment of HPV in men is the development of cancer of the male genitals or anus.
To prevent the virus from entering the human body, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene, as well as to lead a healthy lifestyle and be faithful to a sexual partner.