Many people who have never encountered human papillomavirus are strongly advised, if possible, to undergo an appropriate test to detect this disease. If the symptoms of the pathology began to appear, then the submission of such an analysis is a mandatory measure. A viral disease of this type in men and women can occur as a result of transmission from another person in the following ways:
- Unprotected sex (kissing transmission is also possible - in case of sores in the oral cavity and on the lips).
- At birth - from mother to child.
- The virus can also enter the body of an unsuspecting person in the home area in places where there are many people: a public toilet, a swimming pool, a bathroom. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to use other people's hygiene items.
This disease is not genetically transmitted through DNA. Therefore, the main risk of infection is ignoring the basic rules of hygiene, with unprotected sexual contact, with ill-considered sexual intercourse, as well as a weak immune system. A certain increase in the risk of infection occurs when a person has bad habits.
Important!If there is no carrier, then in nature, the HPV pathogen can not survive for a long time (less than 1 day), but usually this is enough to infect a person.
If there is a desire to do a blood test for HPV, then you should first contact the clinic, because one of the highly specialized doctors can issue the appropriate referral.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, and more than half of them do not pose any risk to humans, but some varieties are considered oncogenic, therefore, with prolonged development, they can cause cancer.
The papilloma virus is extremely commonly transmitted sexually from person to person. Moreover, with unprotected contact, the probability of transmission of this particular virus is extremely high (compared to other SSTs). In recent years, as doctors point out, the number of cases has increased exponentially every year.
This disease is of particular risk to the weaker half of humanity because it often causes the development of cervical cancer as well as other carcinogenic pathologies in women. The older a woman is, the higher her risk of developing cancer. In men, the papilloma virus, which develops in the genitourinary system, often leads to erection problems, irreversible infertility, as well as cancerous pathologies of the urogenital system. Therefore, preventive testing is the right and rational decision.
What tests should we do on human papillomavirus?
A highly specialized specialist can determine what kind of analysis you need to go through and what actions you need to take for it. You can get professional advice on this issue from a number of doctors: dermatologist, urologist, gynecologist.
At present, there are several popular and effective methods that allow not only to identify the presence of a viral disease in a person, but also immediately attribute it to a certain type - safe or dangerous.
Important!You can not independently determine which test you need to do to find HPV in yourself - only a doctor should do it. He will indicate the name of the analysis.
We emphasize the following applied methods:
- Colposcopy. A colposcope is used to examine the cervix in detail. During the procedure, the doctor can take a good look at the mucosa of the organ, take a high quality image of all the sites of interest and even find miniature papillomas and warts (if any).
- Cytology. Cytology is a common method for detecting various pathological diseases of an infectious nature by examining a stain under a microscope. As a result of the study, you can get the results of different classes: the first and second class will show that a person has no problems with this virus; third grade is the reason to undergo explanatory studies (usually histology is described); fourth and fifth grade will indicate the presence of pathological cells. An infectious HPV disease using cytology is diagnosed if cells in a particular way are found in a human stain.
- Histology, study of biopaths. To examine a sample using this technology, a specialist takes a small piece of his tissue from a person (it is difficult to say how they take it, because in each case it is different). Studies are performed under a microscope - modified cells that are affected by a viral infection are also required.
- Look for antibodies to HPV. One of the most modern and useful types of search. This is due to the fact that the method involves the search for antibodies to this infectious disease in human blood (in part it is a diagnosis). Antibodies in the human body will appear much earlier than the virus begins its powerful activity. The method does not allow with a high degree of accuracy to identify the type of HPV pathology, and also does not show concentration. Human blood, not tissue, is examined in vitro.
- Burn test. Modern innovative way of detecting papilloma virus. With this technology, you can discover all the features of the disease. To obtain research material, a sample is taken from the mucosa of the urethra (men), vagina (women). Often this type of testing is prescribed in combination with cytology, so that it is possible to obtain the most accurate data on existing pathology.
- PCR. The method is most sought after in cases where it is necessary to investigate papillomavirus pathology with suspected oncology. According to this technology, a person donates blood, urine, a stain from the mucosa (which will be shown by the doctor). The method is based on the detection of HPV DNA, so the results obtained regarding the presence of a disease in a person, or its absence, are extremely high in accuracy. It is difficult to study the material using this method, so there is a high probability of obtaining false results if the work is performed by an inexperienced specialist or there is a breach of technology.
Important!Regardless of the type of test and method chosen, for people of all ages, the study will be simple and painless.
In cases where testing involves taking material from the urethra or vagina, it is necessary to prepare in a certain way: a few days before that, you should stop taking any medication with antiviral or antibacterial effect. A few hours before taking the biomaterial, you should abandon any hygienic procedure, do not go to the toilet.
If blood is used to detect the virus, then the test should be done on an empty stomach. If you are very thirsty, then you can drink some clean water without sugar and gas. In order not to get false results, a few days before the study, you should give up alcoholic beverages and fatty foods.
Important!It is also recommended that you temporarily abstain from sexual intercourse for two to three days before taking samples from any type of biomaterial.
Any test for detecting papilloma virus does not cause difficulties for both patients and doctors: they can be passed quickly and easily, and the results obtained most likely indicate the presence or absence of pathology. At the same time, it is extremely important to diagnose the presence of the virus as soon as possible, because the sooner treatment is started, the lower the risks of an oncological form of this pathology will be.
You can do an analysis of this kind in any private laboratory, or get proper referral from the state clinic at the place of registration. Interpretation of the obtained results can be performed only by a qualified specialist. You should not take the results obtained after the tests and study them using the internet - nothing good will come of it - you will not be able to accurately diagnose yourself.