With the discovery of the relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer, HPV infection has received more and more attention and is even considered to be an important finding in preventing the occurrence of cervical cancer. However, common people or patient friends do not know HPV very well, which causes psychological panic and forms a large psychological burden. To give you a correct understanding, we would like to briefly introduce some knowledge about HPV for your reference: 1. What is HPV HPVs (The human papilloma viruses) are small double-stranded DNA viruses that have accompanied human beings for a long time and so far more than 130 different genotypes have been found. The virus mainly infects the skin or mucous membranes and is therefore divided into three categories: 1) HPVs that mainly infect the skin, with genotypes 1, 4, 5, 8, 41, 48, 60, 63, 65, etc. These HPVs can be detected in the skin, flat warts, and in the skin of immunocompromised people who need to take immunosuppressive drugs for a long time after organ transplantation or in tumor patients, etc. The virus can also be detected in the skin. (2) HPVs that mainly infect mucous membranes include 6, 11, 13, 44, 55, 16, 31, 33, 52, 58, 67, 18, 39, 45, 59, 68, 70, 26, 51, 69, 30, 53, 56, 66, 32, 42, 34, 64, 73, 54, etc. The presence of these viruses can be detected in benign and malignant tumors in the male and female genital tracts and anus, as well as in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, etc. Currently, it is mainly these viruses that are found to be associated with malignant tumors. 3) HPVs that can be found infected in both skin and mucosa are genotypes 2, 3, 7, 10, 27, 28, 29, 40, 43, 57, 61, 62, etc. , and their relationship with malignancy is unknown. Ninety percent of the common clinical papillomas or genital warts are HPV 6 and 11 infections. Overall, they are classified into low-risk and high-risk types based on their relationship with tumors. Precancerous lesions or invasive cancers of the reproductive tract are often associated with high-risk HPVs such as types 16, 18, 31, 45, 53, etc. Currently, more than 35 such viruses are found to be associated with reproductive tumors; and rarely with low-risk types such as 6 and 11. HPV infection HPVs infection is mainly transmitted through “skin-skin” and “mucosa-mucosa” contact, therefore, sexual transmission is its main mode of transmission. Both men and women can be infected and become carriers, transmitters, and infected at the same time. It has been found that the risk of HPVs infection is high for early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners, and sexual contact with high-risk groups. Most HPV infections are widespread and can be detected in the cervical, vaginal, and vulva of women and in the scrotum, foreskin, and skin of the penis of men. Foreign studies have found subclinical HPV infection in up to 40% of sexually active women, and in 5-10% of those older than 30 years of age. It is estimated that approximately 50% of women develop HPVs infection within 4 years of initial sexual intercourse. Vertical transmission from mother to child is uncommon, but respiratory papillomatosis has occurred in infants through mother-to-child transmission. The half survival period of high-risk HPVs infection is 8-10 months, and the half survival period of low-risk HPVs infection is about half of that of high-risk sex. After infection, there is a certain degree of immunity to the same type of HPV virus, and a few have a certain degree of immune protection against other types. 3, clearance of virus after HPV infection The vast majority of patients with HPVs infection have the virus cleared or suppressed by their own cell-mediated immune function within 1-2 years. A small proportion (10%) of high-risk HPVs infection can last for several years, which may be related to precancerous lesions, with HPV type 16 being the most common, and the longer the duration, the higher the risk of precancerous lesions. A 10-year foreign follow-up data shows that after virus clearance, the same type of HPV may reappear, is it reinfection or incomplete clearance of the previous infection, leaving some of the virus latent in the body? It is not clear yet. 4, HPV and cervical cancer Foreign epidemiological and clinical studies have found that: HPV DNA can be detected in 100% of certain invasive cervical cancers, with HPVs 16, 18, 31 and 45 being the most common; in high-grade precancerous lesions (CINII-CINIII) the detection rate of HPV DNA is 70-90%, in CINI the detection rate is 20-50%, and in atypical precancerous lesions (CINII-CINIII) the detection rate is 70-90%. 20-50%, and in atypical cells ASCUS, AGUS the detection rate is close to 50%. It is generally believed that the time from HPV infection to precancerous lesions is several years or even more than 10 years, but recent studies have found that this time may be very short, within 5 years, and early detection of precancerous lesions may be possible through screening with HPV testing. HPV type 16 has the highest risk, with precancerous lesions found in 40% of women 3-5 years after infection. Combining multiple types of HPV has a higher risk of precancerous lesions than a single type of HPV infection. 5. Prevention of HPV infection Because high-risk PHVs infection was found to be closely related to cervical precancer and cervical invasive cancer, prevention of HPV infection may prevent or reduce the occurrence of cervical cancer. Virus-like particles of HPV L1 without viral DNA (only proteins that can produce antigenic effects but no DNA that can cause genetic changes) are used as a vaccine, and after injection the body can produce antibodies that provide immune protection against the same type of HPV virus. However, it only protects uninfected people and has no significant therapeutic effect on infected people. There are two types of HPV vaccines available abroad, one is Merck’s “Gardasil”, which is a quadrivalent vaccine effective against HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11, and the other is GlaxoSmithKline’s “Cervarix”, which is a bivalent vaccine against HPV types 16 and 18. HPV 16 and 18 bivalent vaccine. The vaccine is usually given abroad to girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years old before their first sexual intercourse. The vaccine is being studied in China and has not yet entered the clinic. In addition, for patients who have been infected with HPV, antiviral treatment with interferon and interleukin can turn HPV test negative in some people.