Sexually Transmitted Diseases And Women

What is the "human papillomavirus" or "HPV"?

There is really no way a person can tell if they have or they carry HPV. The chances are very good that seven out of ten people have this virus. The chances are if you are sexually active you have multiple partners and you had unprotected sex that you carry this virus. However, there is no way to know whether it's a low risk virus or a high risk virus without checking all or any of these symptoms. So if somebody has warts, genital warts or condyloma, we call it also, that doesn't mean they don't have the high risk virus also. They can have both the high risk and the low risk virus. And, so they need to be checked in order to find out what type of virus and what the risk status is.

How common is human papillomavirus?

Very common; some studies show that up to 7% of sexually active people, men and women, carry the virus. Now most people don't know they are carrying it, because most people have not been tested for it. It's impossible, almost, to test a man for this virus, so the male carriers are unknown unless they have a wart, which indicates a low risk virus. However, we can't really identify someone with a high-risk virus as a male partner.

What are "genital warts"?

Genital warts are caused by the low-risk HPV virus and they are also called condyloma. Genital warts are cauliflower lesions that grow in either the anal canal or in the skin over the vulva or the vaginal area or even the cervix depending on where the genital wart virus particle has inserted itself into.

How is the human papillomavirus related to "cervical cancer"?

By a pap smear and a specific test for HPV identification, HPV analysis. Now, most laboratories do that if a physician requests that pap smear be done with an HPV test. It doesn't require any other specimen except for the pap smear that we get during the pelvic exam, and the results usually are back by 10 days.

How will my doctor diagnose the human papillomavirus?

Your doctor will test for human papilloma virus by a Pap smear, and a specific test for human papilloma virus (HPV) identification: human papilloma virus (HPV) analysis. Now, most laboratories do that, if a physician requests that Pap smear be done with an HPV (human papilloma virus) test; it doesn't require any other specimen except for the Pap smear that we get during the pelvic exam, and the results usually are back within ten days.

Can I prevent the human papillomavirus from turning into cervical cancer?

The only thing that a person to do in order to keep the virus sleeping inside the cells is to keep their immune system strong. The only way that we know of and the only cures for HPV, human papillomavirus, that we've seen is when a person has a very good immune system, therefore it prevents these virus particles from becoming active. And also, on occasion, getting rid of these HPV particles altogether; they no longer can be detected.

What is the human papillomavirus vaccine or "gardasil"?

Gardasil or the HPV vaccine that's out there in the market now, there are others that are being produced as we speak and soon will be introduced into the market, but they all work the same way where they get a portion of this viral particle, it's a dead particle, it's not a whole virus so if you get this vaccine, you will not contract the infection. So it's a dead portion of this particle. They inject it into your body and what it does is that your body's immune response will make antibodies to attack these foreign particles so when the real infection comes along your body recognizes those particles, those parts of the virus that's been immune to now, it's been immunized to to attack the virus and prevent infection. It's been found to prevent 70% of the virus particles that cause cervical cancer and 100% of those that cause genital warts.

Are trial HPV treatments available?

Yes, there are other companies that are also working on human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines. But we have to see how effective and what the treatment profile of these human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines will be.