What is HPV?
HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus, a virus that can infect many parts of the body.
There are more than 100 different sub-types of HPV, grouped into (i) high-risk types (may cause cancer) and (ii) low risk types (non-cancer causing).
About 30 - 40 HPV sub-types can infect the genital area; and these can cause genital warts in both men and women, cervical cancer in women and less commonly, anal or penile cancer in men.
Other HPV sub-types may infect the skin of the fingers, hands and face.
Who is at risk of HPV infection?
Most HPV infections occur without signs or symptoms. Sometimes, genital warts or warts in other parts of the body may appear and are a sign of HPV infection.
Can HPV be treated?
How is HPV related to cervical cancer?
Source:
* health screening
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| HPV under microscope |
There are more than 100 different sub-types of HPV, grouped into (i) high-risk types (may cause cancer) and (ii) low risk types (non-cancer causing).
About 30 - 40 HPV sub-types can infect the genital area; and these can cause genital warts in both men and women, cervical cancer in women and less commonly, anal or penile cancer in men.
Other HPV sub-types may infect the skin of the fingers, hands and face.
Who is at risk of HPV infection?
Risk factors for HPV infection include:
- Multiple sexual partners: The greater the number of sexual partners, the higher is your risk of HPV infection. Having sexual activity with a partner who has had multiple sex partners can also increase your risk. While using condoms can help reduce the risk of HPV infection, condoms however, do not cover all genital skin and does not guarantee 100% protection.
- Weakened immune system: People with weakened immune systems (e.g. may be due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or on immune-system suppressing drugs) are at higher risk of HPV infection.
- HPV infection is very common in men and women.
- It can be transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, by sharing contaminated sex toys and very rarely, during delivery from the infected mother to the baby.
- HPV cannot be passed by sitting on toilet seats or touching the door knobs.
Most HPV infections occur without signs or symptoms. Sometimes, genital warts or warts in other parts of the body may appear and are a sign of HPV infection.
Can HPV be treated?
- The virus itself cannot be treated. Most HPV infection (90% cases) goes away on its own without any treatment.
- Although HPV virus cannot be treated, regular Pap smear can help to detect changes in the cervical cells caused by HPV infection.
- With appropriate treatment, the abnormal or pre-cancerous cells can be prevented from developing into cervical cancer.
How is HPV related to cervical cancer?
- Some types of HPV can infect the cervix (the lower part of the womb), causing the cells to change.
- In about 90% of the infection cases, the virus clears by itself and the cells return to normal.
- In some cases, the infection can persist and cause the cells to grow in an abnormal way.
- When this goes undetected by a Pap smear at an early stage, some of these abnormal cells may develop into cervical cancer.
- Specifically, HPV sub-types 16 & 18 cause about 70% cervical cancer cases, while HPV sub- types 6 & 11 cause about 90% genital warts cases.
Source:
* health screening
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