Human papillomavirus (HPV) affects epithelial cells and its particles are 55 nm in diameter. A special feature is the proliferation of skin epithelium, as well as mucous membranes. In the initial stage, the pathogen usually affects the basal cells of the epithelium, entering them through microtraumas. Localized papillomas are usually found on the skin of the neck, armpits, groin and genitals (most often), oral mucosa and nasopharynx.
This virus can exist for many years without symptoms. To detect HPV, electron microscopic or molecular hybridization methods are used.
Types of human papillomavirus
Humans have HPV that affects mucous membranes and skin. Among the large number of papillomaviruses, species with a low and high oncogenic risk are distinguished. Oncogenic properties have been shown to be associated with the ability to integrate DNA into the genome of human cells.
The virus is activated in 10-20% of cases. Depending on its type, it can cause benign or malignant lesions. Some HPVs are not oncogenic. They lead to warts and genital warts. The most common are HPV 6 and 11.
HPV oncogenes are those with a high risk of cancerous lesions, especially on the cervix or anus. For the skin, HPV 16 and 18 are more common, as well as 5 and 8, which can cause skin cancer. The most well-known form of cancer caused by HPV is cervical cancer. However, men can also be infected with the papilloma virus, which in the worst case causes cancer of the penis or anus.
Often, women encounter HPV 16 - this is the form in which introsomal parasitism is observed, i. e. i. , outside the chromosome of the cell (benign). HPV 18 has a high risk of getting cancer - first benign tumors are formed, which after some time degenerate into cancer. Virions in this case have tiny sizes (up to 30 nm).
- cervical neoplasms;
- invasive or preinvasive oncology;
- genital warts of the urinary tract and genitals.
Signs of infection
The human papillomavirus is highly contagious. It is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin or mucous-to-mucous contact with an infected person. In the case of a genital infection, it most often occurs during vaginal or oral intercourse. Having a large number of sexual partners or other STIs (sexually transmitted infections) increases the risk. Indirect transmission through objects, contaminated clothing or bedding is also possible, but this is quite rare.
In 7% of cases, transmission of the virus from mother to child can occur during childbirth, when the infection is active. The risk increases to 40% if you are infected with HPV 16 or 18.
Penetrating the epithelium, violating its integrity, papillomavirus infection promotes the growth of the lower layer of epithelial cells in the form of condyloma or warts. This form of the disease is contagious and spreads quickly to others. As a rule, warts and condylomas do not cause metastases and often disappear spontaneously.
HPV symptoms
The incubation period lasts up to 9 months (3 months on average). HPV can be present in the body without any obvious symptoms. The virus can remain undetected for months or years. Even at this stage it is sticky.
Skin warts usually occur in groups and increase in number when scratched. The two most common forms of papilloma are grayish, hard, raised with a split surface (common wart) or flat and reddish (flat wart). Spinal warts occur on the soles or heels of the feet, grow inward, and are therefore often painful.
- Genital warts. Pale or reddish nodules that often appear in groups and appear on the labia, vagina, penis, urethra, anal canal, and rectum. They are very sticky.
- Flat warts. They appear in the form of flat nodules and are located mainly on the genitals of women. They increase the risk of developing cancer.
- Giant condylomas (Buschke-Levenshtein tumors). They grow in huge formations, destroying the surrounding tissue. In rare cases, they can degenerate and lead to squamous cell carcinoma.
Infection of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract is also possible. The conjunctiva of the eyes may be affected, resulting in the formation of pink stalks.
It is more difficult to determine an asymptomatic course, which the doctor can only see with the help of aids such as acetic acid (causes the wart to change color) or a microscope.
In addition, the virus can also settle in the cells without changes in the tissues. Then they talk about a latent infection, that is, the presence of pathogens, but without symptoms. After infection, this phase can last from several weeks to several months.
Possible consequences
When infected, the viruses penetrate the tissue cells of the skin and mucous membranes, settle in the nuclei of the cell structures and multiply there. Usually, such HPV infections go unnoticed and heal on their own without consequences, as the immune system successfully fights the pathogen.
However, some types of HPV cause skin changes called growths. Possible forms include genital warts or warts and papillomas, which can affect, for example, the face, hands or feet.
The resulting tissue changes are mostly benign, but can also degenerate and lead to cancer. For example, cancer can occur decades after an HPV infection. Cancer of the female external genitalia (cancer of the vulva and vagina), anal cancer, cancer of the penis, and cancer of the mouth and throat (tumors of the head and neck) are also possible.
Establishing a diagnosis
For women, the HPV infection test is performed as part of a preventive visit to a gynecologist. During a gynecological examination, a smear is taken from the mucous membrane of the cervix, it is called a Papanicolaou test (cytological examination). The obtained material is studied for changes in the tissue to determine the pre-cancerous condition.
In addition, an HPV test can be performed, in which the cell material from a mucosal smear or tissue sample is tested in a laboratory for the presence of certain viruses. However, this only proves that the affected area is infected, but does not give any information about whether there has been any change in the tissue. Thus, an HPV test makes sense, especially in combination with a Pap test, and can help detect cancer precursors at an early stage.
If the test is positive, there is no reason to worry, as infections do not always lead to cancer. In order to detect tissue changes at an early stage, regular examinations are recommended. Conversely, a negative test result does not indicate whether there was an infection that the body was successfully fighting.
Men do not have a preventive examination, in which the examination is carried out regularly. If cancer is the underlying cause, examination of the tumor can determine whether HPV infection is the underlying cause of the cancer.
Specialized DNA methods are also used in laboratory diagnostics, such as real-time PCR. Anogenital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11 are easy to detect during a gynecological examination.
How to cure human papilloma virus
In most cases, the disease does not require treatment, because it goes away by itself and then the viruses are no longer detected. However, if this is not the case, the infection may last longer and persist for months or years.
So far, there is no systemic effect on this virus that can completely destroy it. However, treating existing warts reduces the number of viruses, so in many cases the immune system can fight the remaining viruses and get rid of them. In some cases, the pathogens survive and can cause disease symptoms over and over again.
- Plantar and genital warts can be treated with topical salicylic acid medications.
- Cryotherapy is also a commonly used method for HPV. In this case, the wart is burned with cold using liquid nitrogen.
- Lasers or electrocautery are equally used methods.
Cancer caused by HPV is much more difficult to treat. In the case of cervical cancer, it is often recommended to remove the uterus, the upper part of the vagina and the ovaries, respectively. It can be supplemented with radiation therapy to prevent recurrence. Other cancers caused by HPV are most often treated with targeted therapy, such as radiation or chemotherapy.
It should be remembered that the operation is not a radical solution, but only solves a cosmetic problem, because after removal, the virus can remain in the surrounding tissue and condylomas can reappear.
Prevention of infection
There are two vaccinations: the bivalent vaccine against HPV 16 and 18 and the quadrivalent vaccine against HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. Vaccination is recommended for all young girls aged 14 and over.
Vaccination does not protect against all types of HPV. Therefore, all women between the ages of 25 and 65, even if they have been vaccinated, are recommended to have regular Pap smears.
Timely detection and complete removal of condyloma reduces the risk of disease. The effectiveness of using condoms to protect against transmission of infection can significantly reduce the risk of developing this disease. The most promising way to prevent and treat the early stages of this infectious disease is a specific polyvalent vaccine.
Why plantar warts appear and methods of treatment
Warts are skin lesions that appear in the form of special round formations that protrude above the surface. They are caused by special viruses.
These formations often cause physical discomfort due to their location. Even after treatment, they tend to recur.
Ways and reasons
There are many varieties of warts, they are classified according to several characteristics:
- Simply. They occur on exposed parts of the body, hands, feet, face and scalp. They are usually not dangerous, but they are unsightly and can multiply quickly, affecting large areas of skin. They are arranged as if in "families".
- Plantar. Their localization is only on the legs. Causes discomfort when walking.
The main cause is infection with the human papilloma virus, which affects the mucous membranes and skin.
Human papilloma virus
This is one of the most common viruses on Earth. Infection can occur in several ways:
- contact and household (through touch);
- sexual (genital, anal, oral-genital);
- in childbirth from mother to child.
The period of development of the disease varies from several weeks to tens of years, this is explained by the fact that the virus may not manifest itself for a long time, but as soon as the immunity becomes a little weaker, growths immediately appear on the skin. on the skin and/or mucous membranes. The main danger of this disease is that some types of HPV can cause the formation of a malignant tumor (cancer of the skin or mucous membranes). To make sure that the disease will not lead to the formation of a tumor, a doctor's examination should be carried out, and not self-medication.
Symptoms and types of warts on the foot
A plantar wart appears as a callus-like thickening with a stratum corneum. It interferes with walking and causes pain. The passive state is characterized by slow reproduction without reaching the stratum corneum, so this state is not manifested externally.
The active state is characterized by the fact that the virus develops rapidly and, rising to the upper layers of the epidermis, manifests itself in many symptoms. Plantar wart is also called spinal wart, chicken wart. The virus comes into contact with the skin through cuts and abrasions in the outer layer of the skin:
- First, a small yellowish-gray papule with an uneven surface appears.
- Gradually, the small element becomes dense and acquires a dirty color.
From the inside, a plantar wart looks like fused papillae of different sizes with a pinkish tint. Extra capillaries form there, which causes bleeding if you catch a wart.
Removal of plantar warts
It is worth treating a plantar wart if:
- There are painful sensations.
- The wart is bleeding.
- It had spots on it.
- Warts increase in size quickly.
There are many treatment methods. One of them is cryodestruction. The significance of the method is that the wart is exposed to liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 196 degrees. The area affected by the virus is iced and the wart is removed.
The conventional and aggressive method of exposure is used. With the aggressive method, the nitrogen is applied for a few seconds longer, but this method is more painful. It is important to note that if a wart appears and exists for more than six months, the effectiveness of cryodestruction is significantly reduced, and accordingly, the meaning of such an operation disappears.
After removing plantar warts using liquid nitrogen, you should follow some recommendations:
- the blister left in place of the wart cannot be opened;
- to avoid mechanical damage, use a sterile bandage instead of a plaster;
- Treat the affected area with salicylic acid alcohol 2% twice a day;
- try to prevent water from entering the affected area.
Another method is laser coagulation. This is one of the most common methods of wart removal. Most laser systems are equipped with a special cooling system. Thus, the procedure takes place with minimal discomfort and does not allow inflammation, as the laser has antiseptic properties. In addition, this is a non-contact method.
There are several ways:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. Treatment in this case is done using infrared light. The method is 70% effective, but the downside is that healthy tissue can also be damaged.
- Erbium laser. This treatment method uses a shorter wavelength, which reduces the possibility of scarring after surgery. Efficiency is usually 75%.
- Pulsed dye laser. Using this method of exposure, the destruction of the dilated capillaries of the primary warts and the stimulation of the immune system, which promotes effective healing. The treatment efficiency is about 95%.
After laser therapy, a crust forms on the affected area, which disappears on its own within seven to ten days. The recommendations for this treatment method are the same as after exposure to nitrogen - avoid mechanical damage and water ingress.
The next way to remove warts is electrocoagulation. In this case, a high-frequency current is applied to the wart. Treatment is performed under local anesthesia. Exposing warts to high temperatures causes the cells affected by the papilloma virus to evaporate. Another advantage of this method is that cauterization of blood vessels prevents bleeding. After surgery, a crust forms on the affected skin area, which disappears within 7 to 10 days.
A plantar wart can be treated with direct surgery. In this case, the excision takes place under local anesthesia, then sutures are applied. After the operation, the doctor will prescribe certain recommendations. Thus, it is recommended to prevent water and soap from entering the affected area, not to tear off the formed crust and treat the affected area with an antiseptic during the first 7-10 days.
Each type of surgery has certain contraindications. Thus, the operation will not be possible if:
- pregnancy;
- diabetes;
- malignant tumors in the body;
- infection and inflammation around the wart;
- exacerbation of herpes;
- raised temperature.
If the blood pressure is high, the procedure should also be postponed.
Treatment of warts without surgery
People often wonder how to remove a plantar wart without surgery. To do this, you can use pharmaceutical ointments and solutions.
Basically, these ointments have the following effects:
- anti-inflammatory agent;
- antiseptic;
- immunomodulatory;
- antiviral agent;
- antifungal agent.
In addition, it may contain vitamin E, which also has a positive effect on treatment, as vitamins generally strengthen the body and reduce the risk of relapse.
It is important that these remedies are used for single and shallow plantar warts. In addition, if any side effects occur, the medicine should be washed down with plenty of warm water and seek medical help immediately.
So, it is possible to cure warts, there are many ways to do it, but you should not do it without first consulting a doctor, so as not to harm your health. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to self-medicate if the attending physician prescribes contraindications.
Treatment of papillomas on the body
Hardware methods
Modern hardware methods for the treatment of papillomas make it possible to get rid of them and prevent the recurrence of the disease. The most commonly used methods are:
- Cryodestruction is the destruction of growths by exposing them to low temperatures.
- Electrocoagulation is the cauterization of formations with electric current, the strength and frequency of which is selected depending on the size, type and density of the papilloma.
- Laser removal. The type of effect is clear from the name. The procedure takes no more than 15 minutes and helps to get rid of unpleasant growths forever.
Drug treatment
Among the medications used are pus, castor oil, lapis pencil, Sani Skin and Dermavit preparations.
They demonstrate varying effectiveness and do not prevent disease relapse. The main drawback of drug therapy for papillomas is the frequent development of allergic reactions.
Prevention of papillomas
To avoid the appearance of growths and to avoid infection with the human papillomavirus, you should:
- Use barrier contraception during intercourse.
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene and use only separate towels, soap and toothbrush.
- Remember to wear rubber shoes when visiting public baths.
You should also normalize your daily routine, eat a balanced diet, give up bad habits and avoid stressful situations. These factors are not the cause of the disease, but can provoke its development if the virus is already present in the body.