Research Paper: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Research Paper: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

            80% of people will contract HPV in their lifetime, most of these people do not even know that have contracted this virus. Early prevention is very important, and the way to accomplish early prevention is to practice safe sex and obtain preventative vaccines. Vaccines are recommended for adolescent children and young adults, ages ranging between 11-15 years. Research has also shown that HPV can lead to multiple cancers. The HPV virus make-up attacks different areas of the body causing DNA mutation, increasing chances of cancer. As this virus is becoming more prevalent here in the United States, we have to take a further look into HPV.  HPV is now considered to be the most common type of STI, which in turn has become the second most form of cancer shown through cervical cancer, due to this scientist are looking into the creation of vaccinations to prevent the contraction of HPV.

Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) has become the most common sexually transmitted infection amongst men and women, there are over 100 virus strains that can affect people. Each year roughly 19,000 women and 12,000 men in the United States will be affected by HPV. HPV causes no symptoms in both women and men; in fact, this virus can be dormant in men for many years before it “wakes up” and infects another person. Contraction of HPV can occur at the site of lesions, cuts or tears in the skin and the most common way to transmit this virus is through sexual intercourse. Although this STI is most commonly contracted through sexual intercourse another form of contraction is transmitted during labor which can cause genital or respiratory infections. According to Julio Carvalho in “Identification of Males at Increased Risk for Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection among Patients Referred for Urological Consultation” a lot of the men that were HPV positive had come in contact with another form of STD in their lifetime but the most common form to contract HPV was by having a large number of partners. Having a large number of sexual partners does not necessarily have to be a bad thing but if no protection is being used with all these partners there is a higher chance of contraction, in one case or another the male will end up with the virus due to the female or vice versa. Protection is really important, in particular the use of condoms. Both male and female condoms can assist in the spread of HPV because the skin to skin contact has been cut, even if one partner has this virus the spread has been stopped.

There are two categories of this virus, we have the low risk and high risk. The low risk form of the infection can often be cured by the body in two years and not cause any complications or the own body causes warts or lesions. These warts will either develop on the skin of the skin of extremities or on the skin of genitals. 40 out of the 100 strands of HPV can cause these complications. The high-risk HPV viruses can cause cancer in the lower end of the cervix in women known as cervical cancer. Not limited to the cervix, cancer can also develop in the throat, oral, anal and genital canal in both men and women. The virus moves towards the basal layer of the skin and infects the cells that lay in that layer. The cells duplicate and move from the bottom layer to the top layer infecting other cells. Sometimes the virus can be fought off by the immune system within two years but if there is a high-risk infection the cell’s DNA is damaged and become precancerous. Over the years the damaged cells can develop into a cancerous tumor as the cells begin to multiple.

Cervix and Gardasil protects against four types of HPV that cause genital cancers. The most common strains of HPV to cause cancer are Strain 16 and 18. The most common strains to cause genital warts are strain 6 and 11. Women can have an exam done known as pap-smear that can test the cells obtained and diagnosis if infected with HPV. Unfortunately, males do not have a routine test to detect HPV, the most common diagnosis is if there is a presence of warts on the skin extremities or on the genitals. There are procedures to remove warts; this includes freezing them or removing them with an electrical current (electrocautery). As of today, there is no cure for HPV only early prevention via vaccinations, safe sex practices and regular pap-test for women.

There is no cure for HPV infection but there are vaccines that are manufactured to help prevent HPV. The best protection is early vaccination for pre-teen girls and boys. The vaccinations are given in three-dose cycle 6-12 months apart before becoming sexually active. The vaccine contains dead proteins from the virus, when injected the proteins do not stimulate the virus instead it communicates with certain immune cells to create antibodies that can later identify the virus and if introduced the immune cells will kill the virus before it can infect any cells. It is important to vaccinate prior to becoming sexually active because the vaccine does not protect already infected cells.

HPV is the most common type of STI, this leads to various types of cancer and because it is still a new form of STI scientists are still learning and doing research. The importance of early education is key to stopping the spread of this virus. It is important to learn how to stop the spread of this STI and to practice safe sex. This is drilled into young people’s heads before they become sexually active but since HPV keeps increasing safe sex isn’t something that has become prevalent. So, if people are not trying to use condoms then they should know the signs to look after before practicing any type of sex, that being physical or oral sex. HPV is not something to be taken lightly, this may be shown through genital warts which at first may not be something too scary but this can lead to some form of cancer. Unfortunately, at this time there is no cure, we must take action to stop the spread of this STI. The more knowledge and safe sex we practice the more prepared we may be.