Everyone must know the truth about HPV! Do these 5 things to stay away from HPV infection!

Many people have heard of HPV.

However, the causes and routes of HPV infection are still unclear.

Still not sure

Why are you infected with HPV?

Some people develop cervical cancer while others are fine?

With your curious questions

Follow Dr. Huaxi and read on

HPV, also known as human papillomavirus, is a small double-stranded DNA virus that is primarily associated with proliferative lesions of the skin and mucosal epithelium.

HPV is not a virus, but a "big family". Currently, scientists have identified more than 100 types of HPV through molecular hybridization technology.

Based on their risk of causing cancer, HPV is divided into high-risk and low-risk types.

High-risk HPV types include HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, etc. , which are closely related to the occurrence of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer.

The Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Screening and Precancerous Lesions Treatment (Second Edition) released by the WHO in 2021 and the recommended methods for the cervical cancer screening program of China's National Health Commission both emphasize the importance of nucleic acid testing for these 14 high-risk HPV types .

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Epidemiological surveys and clinical studies have shown that the detection rates of HPV16 and HPV18 are particularly prominent in cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer tissues, especially HPV16, with a detection rate as high as 36%-64% in cervical cancer tissues.

Let’s first take a look at what cervical cancer is.

Cervical cancer is cancer that occurs in the cervix. It is one of the most common gynecological malignancies and ranks second in incidence among female malignant tumors in my country. The peak age of onset is mainly concentrated between 50 and 55 years old.

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The symptoms of cervical cancer in the early stages are very "low-key", mainly manifested as abnormal vaginal discharge, contact bleeding, and irregular vaginal bleeding . Because these symptoms are not obvious, they are easily ignored by patients, thus delaying the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

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Will HPV infection develop into cervical cancer?

When HPV invades the human body, it will be eliminated by the human immune system in most cases, but some high-risk HPVs will "stick around", such as HPV16, 18, etc. Persistent infection may cause damage to the cervical epithelium. If this damage persists over time, it may slowly turn into cervical cancer.

However! Although HPV infection is closely related to the occurrence of cervical cancer, not all HPV infections will lead to cervical cancer .

Therefore, it is recommended that everyone undergo regular cervical cancer screening after being infected with HPV, so as to detect abnormalities early, intervene and treat in time, and effectively prevent the occurrence of cervical cancer.

After persistent infection with high-risk HPV, the risk of developing cervical cancer or precancerous lesions is closely related to the HPV genotype.

In high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (HSIL), the infection rate of HPV16 and HPV18 is approximately 52%; in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, HPV16 and HPV18 are the most common, accounting for as high as 84.5%; HPV18 can also cause 50% of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and invasive carcinoma.

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In addition, different HPV genotypes have different degrees of damage to the cervix, and the types of cervical lesions caused are also different.

Therefore, understanding the HPV infection status and genotype distribution of female patients with cervical lesions is of great significance for the personalized diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

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HPV DNA testing and RNA testing are both used to detect the HPV virus.

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1

HPV DNA testing

By testing the DNA of the HPV virus, the presence and specific type of the HPV virus can be detected, and high-risk and low-risk HPV can be distinguished, which helps assess the risk of infection.

2

HPV RNA testing

Compared with DNA testing, RNA testing can provide more accurate information on HPV infection status, detect whether the virus is active, and determine its impact on host cells.

Whether these two examinations are needed should be decided based on personal circumstances and doctor's advice.

1. Sexual contact transmission: This is the most common way of HPV transmission;

2. Mother-to-child transmission: Mothers infected with HPV may transmit the virus to their newborns during childbirth;

3. Skin and mucous membrane contact: In addition to the cervix, HPV can also infect other parts of the body, such as the mouth, throat, skin and anus.

1. Get the HPV vaccine

HPV vaccine can prevent most HPV infections, thereby reducing the risk of the disease.

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2. Avoid unclean sex life

The main transmission route of HPV virus is sexual contact, so avoiding unclean sexual behavior is very important for preventing human papillomavirus infection.

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3. Maintain personal hygiene

Pay more attention to personal hygiene, clean your reproductive organs properly, and change your underwear frequently, which can reduce the chance of HPV infection.

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4. Prevent indirect contact

Do not touch items used by sick people, such as washbasins, bathtubs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. This can effectively reduce the risk of disease.

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5. Maintain good living habits and enhance immunity

Your own immune cells can effectively fight viruses, so when preventing HPV infection, you should exercise more, maintain a regular schedule, pay attention to nutritional supplements, and improve your immunity.

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Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Chinese Association of Preventive Medicine, Tumor Prevention and Control Committee, Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Colposcopy and Cervical Lesion Committee, Chinese Eugenics Association, Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Committee, etc. Chinese Expert Consensus on Human Papillomavirus Nucleic Acid Detection for Cervical Cancer Screening (2022) [J]. Chinese Medical Journal, 2023, 103(16):1184-1195.

[2] Ren Wenhui, Zhao Xuelian, Zhao Fanghui. Current status of cervical cancer screening guideline development worldwide.

A systematic review[J]. Chinese Medical Journal, 2021, 101(24):1882-9.

[3] Wang Linhong, Zhao Gengli. Comprehensive prevention and control guidelines for cervical cancer [M] 2nd edition. Beijing: People's Daily Online

Minsheng Medical Publishing House, 2023.

[4] Yu Guiyuan, Chen Minjie, Min Qinghua, et al. Retrospective analysis of colposcopy biopsy results in 871 cases of human papillomavirus 16/18 positive patients[J]. Chinese Journal of Contemporary Medicine, 2020, 27 (32): 8-11.

[5] Chen Jianmin, Yan Ling, Shi Kefang, et al. Study on the diagnostic value of HPV typing test for women with negative cervical cytology[J]. Zhejiang Preventive Medicine, 2012, 24(9): 4-6+16.

[6] Perkins RB, Guido RS, Castle PE, et al. 2019 ASCCP risk-based management consensus guidelines for abnormal cervical cancer screening tests and cancer precursors [J] . J Low Genit Tract Dis, 2020, (2): 24:102-31.

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