How HPV is transmitted and methods of infection

About 80% of the world's population is infected with the human papillomavirus. Because HPV infection can cause not only harmless papillomas but also genital warts on the body, as well as growths that can degenerate malignantly, it is very important to know how HPV is transmitted. Perhaps this knowledge will help someone avoid infection and prevent such dangerous diseases as cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anal passage, penis and even breast. In this article we will tell you about HPV: how it is transmitted, risk factors and preventive measures.

How is human papillomavirus transmitted?

First, it must be said that papilloma is transmitted through the epidermis and saliva. At the same time, for some time the infection may not be felt and manifest itself through the formation of genital warts and papillomas only with a decrease in immunity.

If we talk about how the papilloma virus is transmitted, then the likelihood of infection increases significantly if there are injuries, scratches and abrasions on the skin.

Attention!Many people wonder if papillomas are inherited. The answer is no. It's just that when a family member is infected, the papilloma virus is transmitted daily or from mother to baby during birth.

The following ways of transmitting a viral infection from person to person are known:

1. It is transmitted through everyday life, ie by touch, common household items, clothing. The infection can be transmitted through kissing.
2. If a person has genital papillomas, the transmission may have been sexually transmitted, ie during unprotected sex.
3. Self-infection is possible during shaving, hair removal and other skin lesions. Because the papilloma is infected to the surrounding healthy skin cells, a person can transmit the virus from the diseased parts of the body to the healthy ones.
4. The vertical route of infection is mother-to-child transmission during birth.
5. Much less often, the infection occurs during a blood transfusion, during surgical removal of tumors caused by HPV. Infection in beauty salons, manicure rooms, baths, saunas and swimming pools, where the rules of asepsis are ignored, is also not ruled out.

If we talk about how you can get a papilloma, then in 70% of cases of sexual infection the culprit is a man. In the presence of epithelial neoplasm of the lips or genitals, the probability of infection is almost 90%. It should also be borne in mind that the presence of a condom, although it reduces the risk of infection, still does not guarantee 100% protection, as HPV can penetrate through microtraumas on the skin of the hands and other parts of the body. In addition, warts can be located in the groin or pubic area, where the condom will not prevent direct contact with a partner.

Important!If one of the partners is a carrier of the virus, but he does not have papillomas, warts or genital warts, the risk of infection of the other partner is significantly reduced.

If you list all the ways a newborn can be infected with the papillomavirus, then infection during the prenatal period is unlikely because the virus does not enter the bloodstream and the fetus is reliably protected by amniotic fluid, bladder andthe placenta. However, rare cases of intrauterine infection with damage to the placenta and fetal bladder have been reported in medical practice.

For women planning a pregnancy, it is very important to know if the child's father is infected and if he can pass the infection on to the mother-to-be, as genital warts that appear during pregnancy are very dangerous for the baby. In case of infection of the baby during birth, there is a risk of laryngeal papillomatosis and subsequent suffocation. Because the infection is transmitted through saliva, it is important to consider the presence of papillomas, warts, and warts on a man's mouth and on the mucous membranes of a man's mouth, as a woman can become infected through oral sex.

If a family member has papilloma, how it is transmitted in everyday life, it is important for all members of the household to know:

• through general bed linen, towels, soap, cosmetics, towels and other personal items, the virus can penetrate microtraumas on the skin;
• saliva infection is possible when using a toothbrush, glasses or other utensils;
Infection is also possible through clothes and other household items.

Risk Factors

We've figured out how you can get human papillomavirus, but it's just as important to know not only the routes of transmission, but also the risk factors for human papillomavirus infection.

Thus, the human papilloma virus penetrates much more easily into the skin and mucous membranes against the background of the following provoking factors:

1. In men, children and women, the infection is most likely against a background of reduced immunity. A common cold or sore throat can contribute to this.

2. The risk of HPV infection increases when the intestinal or vaginal microflora is disturbed. In the first case, the general immunity suffers, in the second case, the body's local defenses decrease and the likelihood of sexually transmitted infections increases.
3. The genital tract more often causes infection against the background of other sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis).
4. Any means of transmission can be potentially dangerous to a person against the background of exacerbation of a chronic disease when the body is weakened by the disease.
5. There is no doubt that papillomas are contagious. The virus can easily enter the cells of a healthy person from the host if his defenses are weakened by stress, loss of energy, fatigue or depression.

Important!All viruses are more easily transmitted to men and women who have bad habits (smoking, alcohol). The risk of infection is also significantly increased in women taking combined contraceptives.

The following conditions and diseases are predisposing factors for sexual transmission of the virus:

• earlier onset of sexual activity;
• prostitution;
• frequent change of sexual partners;
• indiscriminate sex life;
• history of sexually transmitted diseases;
• age is over 35;
• pathology of the cervix;
• immune deficiency conditions.

Prevention

We understand how the human papillomavirus (women, men and children) is transmitted, now it remains to consider prevention measures. It should be said at once that the most effective way to avoid infection is preventive vaccination. To date, two types of vaccines are known for this infection. They protect against the most dangerous oncogenic strains of viral infection. However, the high effectiveness of such protection is observed only in early vaccination, before sexual intercourse or before infection with any of the strains of HPV.

As for other methods of prevention, no one has repealed the rules of hygiene, condom use, gender discrimination and the abandonment of bad habits. It is useful to maintain the strength of the immune system: to eat properly, to fight, to exercise, to walk in the fresh air, to take vitamins periodically.