If there is a need to pass an analysis to identify HPV, then there is nothing to worry about. Most of the procedures are absolutely painless, and some are quite tolerated by any patient. Consider the most common questions regarding the delivery of tests.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus is a microorganism that contains the cellular structure of DNA. When introduced into the human body, HPV DNA causes a mutation, which leads to irreversible processes. Most of the population is already carriers of the virus, but few people realize this, since the virus does not manifest itself in any way.
As soon as the body fails, the immune system weakens and growths appear on the body. For all formations on the skin, except for moles and acne, it is HPV that affects. If the growths are not treated promptly, then malignancy occurs and a harmless wart can turn into cervical cancer in women and urethral cancer in men.
Why is the human papilloma virus dangerous?
When papillomas, genital warts or warts appear on the body, an ordinary person is hardly able to distinguish them from each other, mistaking them for something that is not capable of causing harm.
It's not that simple - a small papilloma can grow to such a size that it will cause a lot of inconvenience - from aesthetic discomfort to the development of cancerous tumors. More than 130 strains of human papillomavirus are known and each of them manifests itself in different ways.
The most common of them are types 16 and 18, which provoke cancer of the mucous membranes, cervix, vagina, penis and other similar diseases. Since at first a person does not know about the presence of the virus in the body, HPV gradually develops and after 5-10 years a person sees changes on his body in the form of growths.
Analysis for papilloma can be done at any clinic. After 40 years, more than half of the lesions become malignant. A timely diagnosis gives a person a chance for a painless old age, which will not be overshadowed by cancer.
Why test for human papillomavirus?
To protect yourself from oncogenic diseases, you should timely identify a potential threat to life and health. With an extensive list of reasons for its spread, HPV is transmitted from person to person through close contact - hugging, kissing, sexual intercourse, using common hygiene products.
The virus takes root under the skin and destroys the healthy DNA structure, mutating throughout the body. When immunity fails, HPV appears on the skin in the form of warts, papillomas and similar rashes. Only an examination can detect the virus at an early stage and block its further spread.
When is an HPV test scheduled?
When the first signs of the disease appear on the body, the doctor can see them even with a visual examination. An HPV test is prescribed to understand where the virus came from in the body, identify the type and then eliminate.
Even considering that not every infected person is capable of becoming a cancer patient, no one wants to tempt fate, which means it is necessary to carry out tests. If a woman plans to become pregnant, she must be tested for HPV, since the virus will easily penetrate the baby. The father, too, should not be indifferent, because he can be a carrier of the papillomavirus.
Features of passing the analysis for HPV
It is believed that the detection of HPV before the age of 30 is not informative, since the disease proceeds far beyond the human eye. After 30, the first tests are prescribed that can detect papillomavirus even at the earliest stages.
The less time has passed since the moment of infection, the more effective the subsequent treatment will be. It is necessary to identify the moment when normal cells begin to grow into cancerous ones. The methods for diagnosing human papillomavirus depend on several factors:
- Identification of the virus and the very fact of its presence in the body
- Find out the variety
- Assess the damage that was caused during the period in which the person did not seek medical help
- Prescribe high-quality and effective treatment
Remember:the virus will never leave the host completely, since it already interacts with the cells of the body's DNA. HPV will remain calm until the immune defenses are weakened.
What kind of analysis to pass on the detection of HPV?
- Colposcopic examination. HPV tests in women are performed by this method. It is designed to detect genital warts. It is prescribed for women to detect genital warts located in the cervical region.
- Cytology. A smear is taken, which contains epithelial cells, then the samples taken are examined under a microscope. If the cells are altered, then there is a risk of developing HPV. There is a risk of a false result.
- Histology. It is an addition to cytology in order to exclude an error. A small piece of the affected tissue is taken and the doctor assesses the difficulty of the position through a microscope. With the help of histological examination, it is possible to determine the nature of the formation.
- PCR diagnostics. The most truthful way with 98% accuracy. Swab, urine, blood, or amniotic fluid taken
If at least one examination reveals the presence of a virus, the patient will be sent for additional analysis in order to ensure the accuracy of the result. If the result was found to be a false positive, then contaminated test material or a violation of generally accepted sampling technique may be the cause.
Sometimes patients prepare incorrectly for the analysis or choose the wrong time for the procedure - these factors can also cause false results.
Testing rules
In addition to relying on the attending physician, the patient himself must follow the process of passing the analysis and know the basic processes. The doctor is a specialist, but health belongs to the patient.
How is biomaterial taken?
The strokes are taken with a soft brush, which looks like a brush. In free clinics, a Volkmann spoon is sometimes used - it is a small spoon on a long stem. Such a brush is gently inserted into the canal, then removed with rotational movements. The brush is placed in a sterile flask and sent for further research.
How to prepare for the procedure for women
2 days before the procedure, you cannot live sexually, use soap with an antibacterial effect, douche, use tampons. If a smear was taken from the cervix, then after the procedure for 3 weeks, you cannot have sex, play sports, overheat, swim in public places and take drugs that affect blood thinning.
How to prepare for the procedure for men
Sexual intercourse is excluded, shower for 2 days without detergents. Do not urinate before the procedure.
General preparation for the procedure
It is necessary to inform the doctor about all drugs that have been taken by a person in the last 2 months.
How is a blood test for HPV taken?
Used for PCR diagnostics. From a finger, sometimes from a vein, depending on what kind of analysis the person will take. A slight tingling sensation from the injection is the maximum discomfort from the procedure. If the vessels in the elbow area are narrow, then the process of taking blood will become difficult, but the doctor will tell you how to properly expand the vein.
The procedure is performed on an empty stomach, you cannot even drink water. It is advisable to take a chocolate bar with you. 3 days before donating blood, it is necessary to exclude from the diet all foods that cause an allergic reaction.
How is urine tested?
It is better to take care of the sterile jar yourself. You can buy it at the pharmacy. Collect morning urine in a jar on an empty stomach. Then take it for examination, preferably immediately, the maximum period is 4 hours or the result will be invalid. The method is not as accurate as taking blood, but if it is not possible to donate blood, you will have to use this method.
How long does it take to test for HPV in women and men?
If a colposcopic examination took place, then the result is issued immediately. With a cytological examination, the results will be ready only after a week. Histology is done for 3 days, then you can get the test result on your hands. With PCR diagnostics, you can immediately take the results or wait up to 2 days.
When and how often should you be tested for HPV?
Until the age of 30, only those who have clear signs of growths on their bodies are examined. Usually at this age, HPV is dormant and does not spread throughout the body.
From 30 to 60 years old, it is necessary to go for examination every 3 years. The level of immunity is falling, so the signs of the human papillomavirus should be detected in time.
After 60 years, usually no examinations are done. If during the last two tests, the presence of a virus was not detected, then you do not need to worry. If there were manifestations, then you will have to engage in treatment until the last 2 results are negative.
Cost and prices for the delivery of HPV tests
In the presence of acute illnesses or upon the conclusion of a cancerous tumor, most examinations are free of charge. They can be prescribed by the attending oncologist.
For a complete picture of the development of the virus, 2 methods are usually used to eliminate the likelihood of false information.
Decoding the results
Decryption should only be dealt with by the attending physician. Patient intervention will not do anything good. To understand what the results are about, you should pay attention to the following words:
- reference values - HPV is absent;
- positive result - an oncogenic HPV strain was detected;
- the result is negative - no cancerous manifestations were found, but there is a possibility of finding other types of HPV.
If the patient decided to take up health and find out about the presence of the human papillomavirus in his body, then one should resort to the above methods. Timely diagnostics saved millions of people and helped them find a calm, healthy life. Only after thoroughly passing the tests is it possible to prescribe quality treatment.
Sometimes the patient is sent for tests without external signs of the disease, and the procedure shows that there is HPV in the body. In this case, the treatment will not take long. It is for this reason that doctors recommend seeking help on time.