In the presence of symptoms and signs of the disease, doctors prescribe many laboratory tests to confirm the assumptions and make a diagnosis. In the appointment list, patients can find an HPV test: what it is, why and when it is prescribed - not everyone can answer.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus, HPV is a whole group of infectious diseases similar to the viruses that are prevalent. Scientists know more than 100 types of this virus and not all of them are dangerous to humans. Most are invisibly present in the body for a long time, causing wheelchairs. However, about 14 strains of this virus are oncogenic - they provoke the development of malignant neoplasms. When diagnosing, doctors always pay attention to the type of HPV, its oncogenicity, which determines further actions and the nature of treatment.
Human papillomavirus - species
The papilloma virus is usually divided into types depending on the risk of provoking the development of oncology. Considering this factor, there are three main groups of HPV:
- Not oncogenic- never cause the development of malignant tumors.
- Low oncogenic risk- under certain conditions can provoke the development of cancer: 6, 11, 42, 43, 44.
- High oncogenic risk- When infected with these types of HPV, it is difficult to avoid the development of malignant tumors. Human oncogenic papillomaviruses: 16, 18, 31, 35, 33, 45, 58, 59, 52.
How is human papillomavirus transmitted?
Knowing how the papillomavirus is transmitted can reduce the risk of infection. However, in practice, this is difficult to avoid. In the vast majority of cases, transmission occurs with the onset of sexual activity: sexual intercourse is the primary mode of transmission of the virus. Its transfer can be performed even during a kiss, when there are microcracks and scratches on the surface of the lips. You can also become infected if you violate the rules of hygiene when visiting public places:
- sauna;
- pool:
- banjot;
- and also when using someone else's toothbrush, towel, razor.
Infection can also occur when the baby passes through the infected mother's infected pathways during birth. Experts do not rule out the possibility of transmitting the virus by contact: it is unstable, but is able to maintain some activity.Among the factors that provoke HPV infection:
- early onset of sexual activity;
- a large number of sexual partners;
- sexually transmitted infections;
- reduced immunity.
Human papillomavirus - symptoms
Human papillomavirus can be invisibly present in the body for a long time. The incubation period, according to experts, can last from 2 months to 2 years. The disease persists invisibly: there are no clinical symptoms, and the main diagnostic methods show the norm. One in three patients, thanks to their immune system, recovers within 6-12 months from the moment of infection.
The clinic of HPV damage in the body is reduced to the appearance of skin formations. Patients notice papillomas, warts and condyloma on their skin. Their localization can be different and corresponds to the place of penetration of the virus in the body: genitals, surface of the hands, lips. These formations look like papillary outcrops, sometimes they look like cauliflower on the outside. The growths are painless, but with friction and injury, they can cause pain and bleeding.
Why do I need an HPV test?
After talking about the virus, let's move on to the information about the HPV test: what kind of research it is, how it is performed, and in what cases it is described. To begin with, we note that if a human papillomavirus is suspected, the analysis helps to confirm or disprove the assumptions. This type of research has the following purposes:
- identification of HPV with high oncogenic risk;
- confirmation / denial of persistence of a certain type of HPV;
- cancer risk assessment in patients with cervical epithelial layer dysplasia.
In addition to the reasons mentioned for the examination, the HPV test (what it is - shown above) can be shown in the following cases:
- Primary screening for cervical cancer in women over 30 years of age.
- Evaluation of the results of performed surgical treatment of intraepithelial neoplasms.
- Suspicious results of cytological examination of gynecological strains.
What tests should I do for HPV?
There are several methods for determining the presence of papilloma virus in the body. However, in most cases, doctors use PCR. If it is necessary to perform an HPV test, patients undergo this examination directly. Various biological body fluids can be used as examination material:
- blood;
- urine;
- amniotic fluid (when a disease is diagnosed during pregnancy).
Speaking of HPV analysis, what it is and how it is performed, it is necessary to emphasize the possibility of studying tissue material. So during the colposcopy, the doctor carefully examines the cervical mucosa. The presence of small papillomas in them is direct evidence of HPV damage in the body. For confirmation, a small piece of tissue is taken for examination under a microscope to rule out malignancy.
Methods of diagnosing HPV
Diagnosis of HPV is a set of measures aimed at determining the presence of the virus and determining its type. For this purpose, the following techniques are used:
- Digi Test- modern accurate method. With its help it is possible to determine the concentration of the virus in the body, type and oncogenicity. The research material is the scratch from the mucosa of the urethra or vagina. Often used in combination with cytology.
- PCR diagnosis of HPV- a simple and affordable diagnostic method that is widespread. The material used is the patient's blood or urine. Assumes detection of viral DNA traces in the sample.
- Cytological examination- examination of the stain under a microscope. The evaluation criterion is the presence of modified cells in the stain - dyskeratocytes and coilocytes.
- Detection of antibodies to HPV- helps identify virus infection in the early stages. The disadvantage is that it is not possible to determine the concentration and type of virus.
- Histological examination - examination of the affected tissue sample to determine the type of HPV and its oncogenicity.
Human Papillomavirus - How to Get Tested?
Before the examination, even during the referral, the doctors tell the patient in detail how the HPV test is done in a certain case. Depending on the examination methods and materials used, the analysis algorithm may vary. Preparing for research is of paramount importance. Correct implementation of all points of the preparatory measures allows you to obtain objective results of the analysis and eliminate the need for repeated implementation.
Preparing for HPV analysis
Prior to HPV analysis, the patient must meet a number of conditions. In this case, the survey method and the type of material for analysis are crucial. It is represented by:
- blood;
- urine;
- a swab from the vagina or urethra.
Depending on the type of biological fluid in the study, the patient is given recommendations on how to prepare for the analysis the day before. The task of the examinee is to fully comply with the rules of preparation. This will avoid getting false results, and in some cases false positives, when the result indicates the presence of HPV in its absence.
Blood test for HPV
Speaking of how the HPV test is done, it should be noted that in most cases the patient's blood is used. The study is performed on an empty stomach: 10-12 hours before the expected time of taking the material, the patient is not allowed to eat; as a drink, you can use plain still water. 2-3 days before the day of analysis, consumption of alcoholic beverages, fatty and harmful foods is prohibited. Only in this case, the diagnosis of HPV with blood will allow you to get accurate test results.
HPV test analysis
This method is most often used for the examination of the fair sex. Before women are tested for HPV, they prepare for this test. The doctor acquaints the patient in detail with all the rules of preparation. In this process, the following important points can be emphasized:
- A stain is taken before the start of the course of antibiotics or 2, 5 weeks after the end of treatment.
- On the day of sampling, it is forbidden to perform a toilet of the external genitalia using hygienic chemical products.
- Washing, insertion of vaginal suppositories is prohibited.
- The day before receiving the material, you should abstain from sexual intercourse.
- It is ideal to do an analysis in the middle of the cycle, it is forbidden to conduct a study during the ovulation period.
Decoding of HPV analysis
Only a doctor can accurately decipher the results of an HPV test. The specialist assesses not only the quantitative value of indicators, but also the clinical appearance, possible signs of infection. Getting a complete picture of what is happening helps in choosing the right medication and choosing effective treatment methods. At the same time, it is important to consider the seriousness of timely diagnosis and treatment: with the age of the patient the risk of developing malignant neoplasms increases.
Quantitative analysis of HPV
When an HPV test is performed using quantitative analysis, decoding involves determining the virus concentration at the time of the study. This helps to determine the right tactics for patient management. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) measures the amount of HPV DNA in a test sample. This is necessary for continuous dynamic monitoring of a specific type of human papillomavirus.
However, even those who know about HPV analysis, what it is and how it is performed, can not independently decipher the results. This should be done along with the patient examination and other examinations. During the evaluation, the experts adhere to the following interpretation of the indicators:
- lg< 3- the risk of developing dysplasia is low;
- lg 3-5- a clinically significant result, there is a risk of developing cervical dysplasia;
- lg >5- high probability of dysplasia, probably in the initial stage of the disease.
Qualitative analysis of HPV
HPV analysis of high oncogenic risk is performed using this technique. Helps identify 16th and 18th types of HPV. These forms of the virus often cause genital cancer in women and squamous cell carcinoma, genital warts, and cervical dysplasia. The efficiency of HPV DNA detection reaches 98%. The conclusion suggests an answer with an indication of each type of virus. There are two possible outcomes: found / not found.