HPV is a type of virus called ‘Human Papilloma Virus’. HPV is a DNA virus specific to the human species. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. There are approximately 200 types of HPV. These viruses are divided into two types, high and low risk HPV, according to their potential to cause cancer. Depending on the type of HPV transmitted, it does not cause any problems and symptoms in some individuals, while in others it causes genital warts. If left untreated for many years, it can turn into cancer. HPV virus affects the skin, genital area, mouth and throat. HPV is largely sexually transmitted, it can also be transmitted by contact of the genital areas. Although it is not possible in practice, it is theoretically said that it can also be transmitted from items such as towels that have been in contact with the genital area.
The person infected with the virus may not have any symptoms. Since it may not give symptoms, the correct result is reached by testing. This disease, which is seen in many people, does not cause any problems in most people. It regresses within an average of 2 years.
However, some may cause certain problems. In the following years, it can cause penis, vulva, cervical, vaginal cancers. It also causes genital warts. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to be examined.
How is HPV transmitted?
How is HPV transmitted? HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. Although not in practice, there are some publications in the literature stating that it is transmitted through the use of common items such as towels. However, these publications are not at the level of definitive evidence. Therefore, we can say that HPV is sexually transmitted. Wounds such as warts caused by HPV are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. It is also possible to see sores caused by HPV in the mouth. That is why it is very important to be protected in sexual intercourse, not to have many partners, and to have HPV vaccination.
Although it is a very common disease, many people do not know that they have HPV. The reason for this is that some types do not give any symptoms. However, it is recommended to be examined and necessary controls are recommended. Because this virus can cause cancer in the following years.
What are the Symptoms of HPV?
What are the symptoms of HPV? It can progress without any symptoms. However, some types cause various symptoms. The most common of these symptoms are warts that appear on average 2 to 6 months after the virus is infected. Warts that appear on the genital part in both men and women are a symptom of this disease and must be checked. The lowest risk types of this disease, which has many types, are HPV 6 and HPV 11. These types cause wart formation and can be passed with treatment methods.
The types that do not give any symptoms can be high risk. Therefore, it is recommended to have it checked. Because these types can become cancerous in the following years.
How is HPV Diagnosed?
How is HPV diagnosed? Warts in the genital area should be checked and some tests should be applied. The first of these tests is known as Pap Smear test. During the gynecological examination, a sample is taken with the help of a brush by entering the vagina with a tool we call speculum. It does not cause any pain. It is a very short procedure.
Another test is the HPV DNA test. A sample can be taken for the HPV test at the same time as the smear and viruses that cause cervical cancer can be detected. Colposcopy is defined as examination of the vulva, vagina and uterus with a light magnifying glass.
What are HPV Types?
What are HPV types? The most common and low-risk types are known as HPV 6 and 11. Among the high-risk types, there are many types, especially HPV 16 and 18.
How is HPV Test Performed?
HPV test is performed by smear method in women. A swab is taken from the cervix and thus it is understood whether there is HPV. It is a very short and painless method.
HPV Treatment
There is no effective treatment method for the HPV virus. However, the rate of spread of the virus can be made slower. Warts in the genital area are destroyed and thus the sexual organ is made healthier. It is also recommended to be vaccinated. If regular checks are made and recommendations are followed, it can disappear on its own within a few years.
How is HPV Treatment Performed?
HPV 16 Treatment, How is HPV 18 treatment done?
Is HPV removed from the body? Does HPV heal? What is HPV treatment? Is HPV definitive treatment possible?
When the HPV virus enters the body, it remains in the body for many years. Some viruses can be spontaneously eliminated from the body between 6-24 months.
There is no cure for HPV infection, but it is possible to treat lesions caused by the HPV virus. The effectiveness of HPV immune-boosting treatments has not been proven.
With screening programmes, we should recognise and treat the lesions caused by the HPV virus so that we can intervene before cervical cancer.
HPV treatment in men is the same. There is no HPV male test.
'Which doctor to go to for HPV? The answer to the question ‘Which doctor to go to for genital warts?’; I recommend that you consult a gynaecologist and obstetrician for genital HPV and bovine warts prevention, follow-up and treatment.
What should you do after being diagnosed with HPV?
I recommend you not to panic in the face of this situation that many people face. The cervix is examined with the colposcopy method, biopsies are taken from the suspected areas of the cervix, and the lesions that may cause cancer according to the pathology result are treated with methods such as LEEP and conisation. However, follow-up should be continued afterwards.
What should be done and what precautions should be taken to avoid cervical cancer?
Before answering this question, we need to know the cause of cervical cancer.
If we look at the studies, we can say that the 90% cause of cervical cancer is HPV viruses, ie Human Papilloma Viruses.
**This means that if we do not get HPV, we will not get cervical cancer with 90% probability.
Then, we should be protected with condom during sexual intercourse. We should pay attention to be monogamous. We should reduce the number of sexual partners. We should have a cervical cancer vaccine, and we should also lead a life full of exercise, away from smoking, balanced nutrition for a healthy body.
How do I know if I have HPV infection?
There is no HPV test in men, it is not performed. Maybe you can understand if you suspect a genital wart in a man and get an HPV test from your cervix.
Or your HPV positivity can be detected during routine HPV screening.
While abnormal cells progress to cancer, they can sometimes give symptoms with bleeding.
Will we get cancer if we destroy HPV viruses?
Considering that there are more than 200 types of HPV viruses detected, the first questions that come to mind are ‘Do all HPV viruses cause cancer? Should we destroy them all?’ will be.
Approximately 200 types of HPV viruses have been identified. We can divide HPV viruses that cause genital cancer (oncogenic HPV viruses) into 3 categories;
Those at High Risk: HPV 16, HPV 18, HPV 31, HPV 33, HPV 35, HPV 39, HPV 45, HPV 51, HPV 52, HPV 56, HPV 58, HPV 59, HPV 68, HPV 73, HPV 82
Moderate Risk: HPV 26, HPV 53, HPV 56, HPV 66, HPV 67, HPV 68, HPV 69, HPV 70, HPV 73, HPV 82
Low Risk: HPV 6, HPV 11, HPV 40, HPV 42, HPV 43, HPV 44, HPV 54, HPV 55, HPV 61, HPV 62, HPV 64, HPV 70, HPV 71, HPV 72, HPV 81, HPV 84, HPV 87, HPV 88, HPV 90
Among these 200 types of HPV viruses, two in particular are responsible for 70 per cent of cervical cancer; these are HPV 16 and 18 viruses.
In other words, if we destroy high-risk HPV viruses, especially if we destroy HPV 16 and HPV 18 viruses, we can say that we will not get cancer at a rate of 70%.
Can Single Women Get HPV Virus? Is HPV transmitted from toilets?
The HPV virus is transmitted by contact, if you have a wart on your hand and touch your genital area or with a towel, it is theoretically said that it can be transmitted, but we think that this transmission route does not exist in practice.
Is HPV test performed for single women? Is HPV test performed for women who have not had sexual intercourse before?
We do not perform HPV test for single women or women who have not had sexual intercourse before.
For more information on HPV and Cervical Cancer, you can contact Associate Professor Dr Çiğdem Yayla Abide.
How Do HPV Vaccines Protect a Woman from Cervical Cancer?
The HPV virus, which causes cervical cancer, is a virus among sexually transmitted diseases. The following question may come to mind; ‘then why is the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine started in childhood?
The answer to these questions lies entirely under our immune system. The period when the antibody response to the vaccine is the strongest is childhood, especially around 11-13 years of age, Human Papilloma Virus vaccines are recommended.
The ideal age for HPV vaccination in children is 12 years old. However, not only in this age range, of course, you can be vaccinated at any age after the age of 12.
Thanks to the vaccine, these antibodies formed against the virus in the body, that is, soldiers, are strongly equipped, lying in the trench and waiting in the trench of the virus, which is the enemy. When the cervix encounters this virus, the soldiers come out from where they have been waiting for years to destroy it and fight and destroy the virus. In other words, the vaccine provides primary protection, the vaccine is given for prophylactic purposes. By providing protection without transmission, the vaccine reduces cancer and precancerous lesions caused by the Human Papilloma Virus virus.
What are HPV Vaccines? How should HPV vaccine be administered?
HPV vaccine is not a live vaccine, it is a recombinant vaccine. There are three types of Human Papilloma Virus vaccine on the market.
Binary Vaccine: It provides protection against 16, 18 HPV types in Human Papilloma Virus types.
Nine Vaccine: It started to be applied in our country as of January 2023. The vaccine we prefer is the nine vaccine. It provides protection against HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 HPV types from Human Papilloma Virus types.
Where is HPV vaccine given?
The vaccine is given into the muscle. It can be administered to the arm or leg muscle.
How should the doses of HPV vaccine be? How should HPV vaccine dose intervals be?
Until the age of 15, we recommend 2 doses, and after the age of 15; We recommend vaccination in 3 doses, 0, 2, and 6 months.
Should boys also be vaccinated against HPV?
From the age of 9, it is recommended to vaccinate boys and girls.
Is there a maximum age limit for HPV vaccination? How old can the vaccine be given?
There is no final age limit for vaccination, you can be vaccinated at any age, as the effectiveness of the vaccine up to 26 years of age has been proven. I also recommend the vaccine to my patients and if it has not been done, I recommend it to be done until the age of 45.
Is it necessary for a woman who has had her cervix surgically removed to be vaccinated?
Some types of the virus can cause cancer in the genital skin area we call vulva and in the vagina . However, cancers observed here are very rare. Therefore, vaccination is not recommended to prevent the formation of cancers here. However, it should be noted that there is no harm in vaccinating these patients.
Is it useful to vaccinate against HPV after contracting the virus?
Vaccines are not useful in treating lesions such as genital warts because the purpose of the vaccine is to intervene before the virus enters the cell. For example, if type 16 is positive, it is recommended to be done because the vaccine can protect against type 18 virus. In other words, if you have not contracted a virus contained in the vaccine, the vaccine protects you against it. HPV vaccines do not treat existing HPV infection, but HPV vaccines are recommended to increase immunity in the presence of some treatment-resistant cervical cancer precursor lesions.
Can HPV vaccination be given after sexual intercourse?
Yes, Human Papilloma Virus vaccine can be given after sexual intercourse. However, it does not treat the existing HPV virus or the lesion it has made.
Is it necessary to have a smear or HPV test before HPV vaccination?
There is no need to have any test before vaccination.
How Long Does HPV Vaccine Provide Protection?
The protection of the vaccine continues for at least 10 years, after which it is thought that the protection continues.
Are there any side effects of HPV vaccine?
The most common side effects are redness, mild swelling and mild pain at the vaccination site. No serious side effects of the vaccine have been observed in studies.
Can Pregnant Women Get HPV Vaccine? Can HPV Vaccine Be Administered to Pregnant Women?
Although no anomalies have been detected in the babies of women who have been vaccinated without knowing the pregnancy, we do not recommend Human Papilloma Virus vaccination for pregnant women.
What is the Price of HPV Vaccine in Istanbul? Does the State Cover HPV Vaccine? Where is HPV done in Istanbul?
The vaccine is not covered by the SSI (social security institution). It is a paid vaccine. The price may vary according to the hospitals, clinics or practices that make the vaccine. You can contact Associate Professor Doctor Çiğdem Yayla Abide for information and appointment aboutIstanbul HPV Vaccine.
Which diseases does HPV cause?
HPV infection can cause some diseases depending on the place of transmission. These include;
- Cervical cancer precursor lesions (CIN1, CIN2, CIN3),
- Cervical cancer (90-99% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV),
- Cancer of the vagina (65 per cent caused by HPV),
- Vulvar (external genitalia) cancer or precursor lesions (50% of vulvar cancer is caused by HPV viruses),
- Anus cancer (90% of anal cancer is caused by HPV viruses),
- Warts (genital area, mouth, vocal cords),
- Oropharyngeal cancer (throat, larynx cancer), (45-90% cause is HPV viruses)
- It can cause penile cancer.
Is there a cure for HPV? Is it possible to be removed from the body in some way?
Most sexually active women have HPV virus, so if HPV is somehow detected in you, I recommend you not to panic. 9 out of every 10 women who are HPV positive will remove the virus from their body within the first 2 years depending on their immune system. For the rest, follow-up should be continued for the presence of persistent infection.
In case of HPV positivity in the cervix, the type of HPV is very important. Detection of HPV virus does not indicate that cancer or precursor lesions are definite. Therefore, in the presence of high-risk HPV, colposcopy and biopsy should be performed for diagnostic purposes. If precancerous lesions such as CIN2, CIN3 are reported as a result of biopsy, a part of the cervix should be removed and treated with the surgery called conisation. Our aim in this treatment is not to destroy the HPV virus, but to clean the wounds caused by the HPV virus and prevent its progression to cervical cancer. There is no definitive treatment known to destroy the HPV virus.
I recommend that you strengthen your immune system by taking vitamin supplements, eating healthy, avoiding bad habits such as smoking and alcohol, and if you have not had HPV 9 vaccination. You can benefit from some vitamin supplements.
If you have warts in your genital area, we do not recommend sexual intercourse with your partner before the warts are completely gone. The way of transmission of warts is direct contact. Warts are a low-risk group in terms of cancer. They do not put you at serious risk. However, it needs to be treated. Wart treatment can be done in the form of burning with cautery, laser, cryotherapy and drug treatment.
Do men need to be vaccinated against HPV?
We recommend that men should also be vaccinated.
Does HPV also cause cancer in men?
HPV virus can cause cancer of the penis, throat and larynx in men. In addition, since men can infect women by transmitting the virus to women, if men are prevented from getting HPV infection, HPV transmission to women will be largely prevented.
