HUMAN PAPILOMA VIRUS (HPV)

Human Papiloma virus (HPV)

Human Papiloma virus (HPV)

Introduction

Let us first examine the definition of HPV. Understanding a disease starts with definition of its properties and causes. Human papillomavirus causes warts. Warts are non-cancerous skin growths whose appearance depends on where they grow. There are various types of warts: seed (or common) warts, plantar warts, flat warts, and genital warts are a few.

Specific molecular diagnostics for HPV are evolving and will undoubtedly assist epidemiology and research, but there is not yet a clear place for them in routine clinical care. In contrast, the early detection of dysplasia and carcinoma in site by Pap smear has proven itself to be the most effective cancer screening program yet launched. Regardless of the role of HPV in cancer of the cervix, Pap smear and follow-up can successfully reduce mortality from that malignancy.

The extent to which outcomes can be further improved by specific diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to HPV is the subject of much needed study, and Lytwyn and Sellors (1997) therefore place a high priority on research (clinical, surveillance, and behavioural) in their list of national goals for prevention of HPV infection.

Main Body

The human papilloma virus (or HPV) causes both cervical and anal cancer. But that is where the similarities end. There is a national education, screening and treatment programme for cancer of the cervix but nothing at all for anal cancer. Could this be because the latter disease is caught mainly (though by no means exclusively) by gay men?

The Department of Health argues that the incidence of anal cancer is relatively low--there were just 635 new cases in England and Wales in 2000. And it is true that lots of people with HPV never develop cancer, and even if cancer develops, it often doesn't become life threatening. But HPV has a long incubation period, similar to HIV. Infections are rocketing: according to US research, even among gay and bisexual men who are HIV-negative the infection rate is 63 per cent, and among the HIV-positive it is 93 per cent. There is a real risk of an exponential rise in anal cancer cases in 20 to 30 years' time.

Over 40 million Americans have genital herpes infections. About half a million new people every year acquire the disease. There may be as many as 40 million Americans who have the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), some types of which cause genital warts. And HPV in some cases, has been linked to cervical cancer. There are 40,000 new cases of HIV and AIDS each year in this country. These are viral infections that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Those who have any of these sexually transmitted diseases, even if they don't know they have it, are at risk of transmitting it to others.

Disease Affecting Poor Countries

Diseases caused by human papillomaviruses There are more than seventy types of human papillomaviruses, and of these, over twenty infect mucosal tissue and can be sexually transmitted (Storer, ...