Human papillomavirus (HPV for short) was discovered by German-born medical scientist and virologist Harald zur Hausen, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, who has been working on the relationship and mechanisms between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer since 1970. It turns out – there is a strong relationship and certain types of HPV are the causative agent of cervical cancer. It is an epitheliophilic virus with a high degree of specificity. HPV has long been known to cause benign human tumors and warts, such as cervical cancer, condyloma acuminata, and papillomas growing on mucous membranes. Clinically, HPV can be classified into two categories: (1) low-risk HPV: generally, HPV can be eliminated by the immune system; (2) high-risk HPV: it can cause external genital cancer, cervical cancer and high cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and there are more than 100 types of HPV. 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58 and so on. 1, HPV infection route HPV infection route is very wide, in addition to sexual intercourse is the main transmission route, but also through direct contact infection. In other words, if in daily life hands touch something with HPV, toilets, bath will inadvertently bring the virus into the reproductive organs, or the reproductive organs directly contact with HPV bath towels, bathtubs, toilets and other items can be infected with HPV, so the examination of HPV positive suspected their spouses sexual indiscretion, in fact, this is not true. 2.The relationship between HPV virus and cervical cancer Impure sex causes cervical infection with HPV (human papillomavirus). The pathogen directly damages the epithelium of the cervix, induces inflammatory reaction, changes the normal defense mechanism of the vagina, and causes lesions of the cervix. The main HPV viruses that infect humans are types 1, 2, 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35. Among these, types 16 and 18 are directly and closely related to the development of cervical cancer. They are known as mucosal high-risk types. When the cervical epithelial cells are infected with HPV virus, the cells become large and transparent with spider-like changes in the nucleus. Such infected cells are called pectus excavatum cells, which are direct evidence of HPV infection. Cervical infection can cause tumor-like proliferation of cells and even cancer. 3.What are the common HPV testing methods? The TCT test (cervical thin layer liquid-based cytology test) commonly carried out at the grassroots level will indicate the possible presence of HPV virus on the report card; HPV antibody test, which may report positive for HPV16 and HPV18, and further HPV-DNA screening for those suspected of viral infection to detect the typing of HPV and the degree of harm caused to the cervix, which makes up for the inadequacy of cytological examination, thus providing a clinical treatment basis for HPV treatment provides clinical treatment basis to achieve early detection and early treatment to keep away from cervical diseases. 4. How often is HPV testing performed? First HPV test: If you are over 30 years old (earlier for special groups) and have never had an HPV test, you should have an HPV test at the same time as the cytology test; if you are between 20 and 30 years old, you should only have an HPV test if the cytology test results are critical, i.e., atypical cell change (“ASC-US”). HPV testing is only required if the cytology result is critical, i.e., atypical cell change (“ASC-US”); HPV retesting: if you are over 30 years old, the frequency of HPV testing depends on the results of the previous test. If the cytology and HPV test results are normal, the test can be repeated every 3 years. 5.Does HPV infection necessarily lead to cancer? From HPV infection to cervical cancer, there are four stages: HPV infection → persistent viral infection causing cervical epithelial lesions → persistent viral infection causing cervical precancerous lesions → cervical invasive cancer, which takes about 25-30 years, which is a slow process from quantitative to qualitative and gradual to mutation. CIN II-III or even cervical cancer. HPV infection alone does not necessarily lead to cervical cancer, as HPV infection is self-limiting, often manifesting as “transient” infection, which can be cleared by autoimmunity in most people; only a very small percentage of this group will continue to be infected, and only a very small percentage of this group will get cancer in the future, and if it is detected and treated correctly in time during this period, it can be completely eliminated. If the infection is detected in time and treated correctly, the development of cancer can be completely stopped. Therefore, HPV infection does not mean cancer. Women aged 18-70 should have cancer prevention awareness. Women who have sex should have cytological examination from the age of 18-20, or have cervical cancer prevention examination every two years starting from one or two years after the first sexual intercourse; for women aged 70 or above, if the two cervical cancer examinations in the last five years are normal, they can stop the examination; those who have early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners, smoke and have high risk of HPV infection should have high risk of cervical cancer. Women with high risk of cervical cancer should increase the number of cervical cancer preventive examinations appropriately; women with hysterectomy should have cervical cancer preventive examinations, which are also applicable to women who are receiving hormone replacement therapy and will not increase the risk of cervical cancer. Pregnant women who have cytology examinations during pregnancy will not have any effect on pregnancy. 7.HPV cervical cancer vaccine Cervical cancer is the most prevalent gynecological tumor. Fortunately, cervical cancer is the only tumor with a clear cause at present, and the successful development of HPV cervical cancer vaccine has made cervical cancer the only preventable cancer in the world, and HPV vaccine is the first attempt to eliminate a cancer through vaccine, which is of epoch-making significance. At present, the bivalent HPV vaccine Cervarix from GSK is approved for sale in China and is gradually being promoted; the quadrivalent HPV vaccine Gardasil from Mercer has also been approved for sale soon. The bivalent vaccine is suitable for women aged 10 to 25 years, and the quadrivalent vaccine is suitable for women aged 9 to 26 years.