What is HPV? Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common virus that infects skin and mucosal tissues, and there are more than 100 types of HPV. The types of HPV that cause common warts are mainly transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and often occur on the hands and feet. Sharing towels or other items with such patients can also lead to this type of HPV infection. There are about 30 types of HPV associated with genital tract disease, which are divided into two main categories: 1) high-risk HPV – where persistent infection can cause certain types of cancer (most commonly cervical cancer); and 2) low-risk HPV – which does not cause cancer, but often causes genital warts. Regardless of which type of HPV you are infected with, the only way to know for sure if you are carrying HPV is to get tested. 2. How do I know I have HPV and what symptoms does HPV cause? HPV infection of the genital tract does not usually cause any symptoms. Usually, the virus disappears on its own before causing disease or is cleared by the body’s immune system. However, there are times when the infection persists and may cause abnormal cytological changes. If infected with high-risk HPV (the type that can induce cancer), the only way to know if the virus is infected is to apply a combination of cytology and HPV testing (over 30 years of age) for screening. In the early stages of persistent infection causing cervical lesions, abnormal cell changes can be detected and treated to stop the progression of the lesions towards cancer. This is why it is important to have regular HPV testing . Possible symptoms of cervical cancer are as follows: abnormal vaginal discharge or bleeding (especially after sexual intercourse) urgency, painful urination (especially if the lower abdomen is also painful) painful intercourse Note: These symptoms can occur for many reasons and do not necessarily mean that you have cervical cancer. If you have similar symptoms, please inform your doctor promptly. If you have genital warts, it means you are infected with low-risk HPV. there is no way to stop the whole process from the infection of low-risk HPV to the genital warts, plus warts are completely curable, so medical experts do not recommend routine low-risk HPV testing (which is different from high-risk HPV testing). 3, can HPV infection be treated? There are no antibodies or other drugs that target the HPV virus. Fortunately, the HPV virus usually disappears on its own or is reduced to a lower level by the body’s own immunity before it can cause disease. However, if the infection persists, existing approaches also target the cytologic changes caused by HPV for treatment, such as the application of coagulation, creams, lasers, or other techniques to treat warts. Likewise, for precancerous cervical lesions surgical excision, such as LEEP (a technique that applies electrical energy) or laser treatment, is possible. If cervical cancer has progressed, hysterectomy and chemotherapy are usually required. Since there is no way to prevent infection, the most effective way to avoid a worsening of the situation is to detect it early and treat it before it becomes cancerous. This is why it is important to have regular cytology screenings and that women over the age of 30 must have regular HPV testing. Young women are susceptible to HPV infection, but women in this age group are less likely to develop cervical cancer due to their relatively high resistance, while women over 30 are less likely to be infected with HPV, but the virus is more likely to remain latent for a longer period of time and cause abnormal cellular changes. Early treatment of cervical precancerous lesions can prevent them from developing into cervical invasive cancer. 4. What is the chance of developing cervical cancer if infected with HPV? In most cases, the body’s own immune system can completely eliminate the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that 70% of new HPV infections clear the virus within one year and 91% of those infected will clear the virus within two years. Only if high-risk HPV remains persistently viable do cells that undergo abnormal changes have a chance to progress to cervical cancer. Overall, women who are persistently infected with high-risk HPV are 200 times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women who are not infected. 5. If infected with HPV, will it go away? Or will it be there forever? Medical experts don’t yet understand all the questions about life, and this question is one of them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that more than 90 percent of HPV infections are “cleared” by the body within two years. However, it is not known whether the body actually gets rid of all the virus, and for some women, the virus is only suppressed to a very low, undetectable level. It is possible that both conditions exist, depending on the woman herself. The good news is that even if HPV is only suppressed to a very low level, in this undetectable state it is not causing abnormal cellular changes or transmission to others. The bottom line: a negative HPV test result means that your risk of developing cervical cancer, at least for the next few years, is almost zero. However, previous HPV infections are thought to “activate” after a few years, depending on changes in the autoimmune system. (Therefore, it is important to stay healthy, eat properly, exercise consistently, and refrain from smoking. Some experts also recommend folic acid supplementation). In addition, if you change partners, you may be infected with other types of HPV. Therefore, regular checkups are essential. In addition, if you are being treated for cervical lesions or cervical cancer , it is very necessary to be tested again for HPV after treatment to clarify whether the infection has been completely cleared. 6. Can I get pregnant if I am positive for HPV? The human papillomavirus is a virus, which is divided into low risk and high risk, which low risk mainly causes external genital warts and other benign lesions including cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN1), and high risk and cervical and CIN2, CIN3 closely related, especially HPV16 and HPV18, pregnancy due to the decline in immune function, steroid hormone levels increase, rich local blood circulation, can accelerate the The actual fact is that you can find a lot of people who are not able to get a good deal on a lot of things. The actual fact is that you have not found any warts yet, but pregnancy can accelerate its growth, so if you are a virus carrier at this time, it is advisable to further check whether it is high risk or low risk, which does not affect conception, but considering the possible impact on the fetus after pregnancy, it is advisable to conceive under the guidance of a doctor after treatment. 7. HPV testing points For women under 30 years old, HPV testing is not necessary. However, check with your doctor to ensure that HPV testing is performed if the cytology smear result is abnormal or critical. The combination of both methods for cervical cancer screening has the best accuracy and specificity. Women over the age of 30 should be tested for HPV regardless of normal cytology smear results, as recommended by most experts. However, many doctors do not yet book HPV testing for all patients over the age of 30. You can request both a cytology smear and HPV test at your regular gynecologic exam. The need for HPV testing is your decision. If you decide to have an HPV test after seeing this website and other information, but your doctor does not think you need it, you can offer to have your HPV test to ensure peace of mind. No matter what age you are, you should know the results of all tests. Don’t assume that no news is good news!