Many people who have never encountered the human papillomavirus are strongly recommended, if possible, to pass a proper test for this disease. If the symptoms of the pathology began to appear, then the delivery of such an analysis is a mandatory measure. Such a viral disease in men and women can appear as a consequence of transmission from another person in the following ways:
- Unprotected sexual intercourse (transmission by kissing is also possible, in case of wounds in the oral cavity and on the lips).
- During childbirth - from mother to baby.
- The virus can also enter the body of an unsuspecting person in the domestic area in places where there are many people: a public toilet, a swimming pool, a bathhouse. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to use other people's hygiene items.
This disease is not genetically transmitted through DNA. Therefore, the main risk of infection is ignoring the basic rules of hygiene, with unprotected sexual contact, with thoughtless sexual intercourse, as well as with a weak immune system. A certain increase in the risk of infection occurs when a person has bad habits.
Important!If there is no carrier, then in nature the HPV pathogen cannot survive for long (less than 1 day), but usually this is enough to infect a person.
If you wish to have a blood test for HPV, you must first contact the clinic, as one of the highly specialized doctors can make the appropriate referral.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, and more than half of them do not pose any danger to humans, but some varieties are considered oncogenic, therefore, with prolonged development, they can cause cancer.
The papillomavirus is incredibly often transmitted from person to person sexually. Also, with unprotected contact, the probability of transmitting this particular virus is extremely high (compared to other STDs). In recent years, as doctors point out, the number of cases has been increasing exponentially every year.
This disease is particularly dangerous for the weak half of humanity, because it often provokes the development of cervical cancer, as well as other cancerous pathologies in women. The older the woman, the greater the risk of developing cancer. In men, the papilloma virus, developing in the genitourinary system, often leads to erection problems, irreversible infertility, and also cancerous pathologies of the urogenital system. Therefore, preventive testing is the correct and rational decision.
What analysis to pass on the human papillomavirus?
A highly specialized specialist can determine what kind of analysis you need to pass and what actions you need to take for this. She can get professional advice on this issue from various doctors: a dermatologist, a urologist, a gynecologist.
At the moment, there are several popular and effective methods that allow not only to identify the presence of a viral disease in a person, but also to immediately attribute it to a certain type - safe or dangerous.
Important!You cannot independently determine which test to take to find HPV in yourself; only a doctor should do this. It will indicate the name of the analysis.
We highlight the following applied methods:
- Colposcopy. A colposcope is used to examine the cervix in detail. During the procedure, the doctor can look well through the mucosa of the organ, obtain a high-quality image of all the places of interest, and even find miniature papillomas and warts (if any).
- Cytology. Cytology is a common method of detecting various pathological diseases of an infectious nature by examining a smear under a microscope. As a result of the study, you can get the results of different classes: the first and second classes will indicate that a person has no problems with this virus; the third class is the reason for undergoing explanatory studies (histology is usually prescribed); the fourth and fifth classes will indicate the presence of pathological cells. An infectious disease HPV by cytology is diagnosed if cells modified in a special way are found in a human smear.
- Histology, the study of biopaths. To examine a sample with this technology, a specialist takes a small piece of your tissue from a person (it's hard to say how they take it, because each case is different). The studies are carried out under a microscope: modified cells that are affected by a viral infection are also looked for.
- Search for antibodies against HPV. One of the most modern and useful types of research. This is because the method involves the search for antibodies to this infectious disease in human blood (it is partly diagnostic). Antibodies in the human body will appear long before the virus begins its vigorous activity. The method does not allow to identify with a high degree of accuracy the type of HPV pathology, and also does not indicate the concentration. Human blood, not tissue, is examined by the in vitro method.
- Digene tests. Modern innovative way to detect papilloma virus. With this technology all the characteristics of the disease can be known. To obtain material for research, a sample is taken from the mucous membrane of the urethra (men), vagina (women). Often this type of test is prescribed in combination with cytology, so that it is possible to obtain the most accurate data on the existing pathology.
- PCR. The method is most in demand in cases where it is necessary to investigate the pathology of papillomavirus with suspected oncology. According to this technology, a person donates blood, urine, a smear of the mucous membrane (which the doctor will indicate). The method is based on the detection of HPV DNA, so the results obtained regarding the presence of a disease in a person, or its absence, are incredibly high in accuracy. It is difficult to study the material using this method, so there is a high probability of false results if the work is carried out by an inexperienced specialist or if there is a violation of the technology.
Important!Regardless of the type of test and method chosen, for people of any age, the study will be simple and painless.
In cases where the test involves taking material from the urethra or vagina, it is necessary to prepare in a certain way: a few days before, you need to stop taking any drugs with antiviral or antibacterial effect. A few hours before taking the biomaterial, you need to abandon any hygiene procedures, not go to the toilet.
If blood is used to detect the virus, the test should be done on an empty stomach. If you are very thirsty, you can drink some plain water without sugar or gas. In order not to get false results, a few days before the study, you need to give up alcoholic beverages and fatty foods.
Important!It is also recommended to temporarily abstain from sexual intercourse two or three days before taking samples of any type of biomaterial.
Any tests for the detection of papillomavirus do not cause difficulties for both patients and doctors: they can be passed quickly and easily, and the results obtained will most likely indicate the presence or absence of pathology. At the same time, it is extremely important to diagnose the presence of the virus as early as possible, because the earlier treatment is started, the lower the risks of an oncological form of this pathology.
You can carry out such an analysis in any private laboratory or obtain a corresponding referral from the state clinic at the place of registration. The interpretation of the results obtained can only be performed by a qualified specialist. You should not take the results obtained after the analyzes and study them via the Internet; nothing good will come of it, it will not be able to be diagnosed correctly.