According to the data, about 90% or more of cervical cancers worldwide are caused by 9 or more high-risk HPV types. So, how do you get infected with HPV?
HPV prefers to grow and multiply in the warm and moist skin and mucous membrane areas on the surface of the body, (e.g. genitals, perianal area, mouth, armpits, thigh roots, etc.). Usually, there are 4 ways of HPV infection as follows.
1. Sexual contact transmission
Sexual contact transmission is the main transmission route of HPV infection, and most of the HPV is clinically infected through sexual intercourse. This is because sex is prone to cause local mucous membrane breakage, allowing the HPV virus to take advantage of. The probability of HPV infection is very high, especially for women who have sex too early or have multiple sexual partners.
2. Direct skin-to-skin transmission
In addition to sexual contact infection, there is actually a part of HPV is infected through direct skin contact, such as direct skin contact with the toilet, bath towels, bath tubs, underwear, underwear, bed sheets, covers, etc. used by HPV patients. Some women who have never had sex but are found to be infected with HPV may have been infected through direct skin-to-skin contact. However, the probability of this infection is relatively low.
3. Maternal-to-infant transmission
That is, vertical transmission from mother to child. If a pregnant woman is persistently infected with HPV virus, it may lead to lesions of the cervix, and the HPV virus will parasitize the reproductive tract, which may easily cause intrauterine infection in the fetus in the womb, and then lead to laryngeal papilloma in the newborn, etc. Also, if the mother is infected with HPV, it may be transmitted to the fetus through secretions during delivery. However, the probability of vertical transmission from mother to child is also relatively low.
4. Medically-derived infection
If a doctor contaminates other parts of the body, such as the hands, after checking a patient with HPV infection, the possibility of HPV infection ensues.
In short, most HPV infections are transmitted through sexual intercourse, and the possibility of infection through other means of transmission is low. Therefore, women must actively prevent HPV infection for their own health.
Try to avoid having sex too early and do not have sexual contact with multiple (irregular) partners. Or when having sex, use condoms and other tools, which can reduce cross-infection to a certain extent; women of age should be vaccinated against HPV as early as possible; in addition, in daily life, it is also important to develop healthy and good habits, and actively exercise to improve their immune system.
Warm tips.
1, when you find yourself infected with HPV, do not rush to suspect and blame your sexual partner first, because HPV may also be infected through non-sexual means.
2, when you go out to stay in hotels, to minimize the use of toilet, sitz bath, etc., it is best to bring their own towels, bed sheets and covers. For patients who are already infected with HPV, make sure to isolate the daily necessities.
Reference.
[1]Li C C,Zhu L. Etiology of cervical cancer and current status of cervical cancer vaccine [R]. Modern Oncology Medicine,2018,26(20):3333-3336.