If there is a need to pass an analysis to identify HPV, then there is nothing to worry about. Most procedures are completely painless, and some are well tolerated by any patient. Consider the most common questions about test delivery.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus is a microorganism that contains the cellular structure of DNA. When introduced into the human body, HPV DNA causes mutations, leading to an irreversible process. Most of the population is already a carrier of the virus, but few people are aware of this, because the virus does not manifest itself in any way.
Once the body fails, the immune system weakens and growths appear in the body. For all formations on the skin, except moles and acne, HPV affects. If the growth is not treated immediately, it becomes malignant and harmless warts 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, ordinary people can hardly distinguish them from one another, mistaking them for something incapable of causing harm.
It's not that simple - a small papilloma can grow in such a way that it will cause a lot of discomfort - from aesthetic discomfort to the development of a cancerous tumor. More than 130 types of human papillomavirus are known and each 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. Because at first a person does not know the presence of the virus in his body, HPV gradually develops and after 5-10 years a person sees changes in his body in the form of growth.
Papilloma analysis can be performed in any clinic. After 40 years, more than half of the lesions are malignant. Timely diagnosis gives a person the opportunity for painless old age, which cancer will not overshadow.
Why the human papillomavirus test?
To protect yourself from oncogenic diseases, you must identify potential threats to life and health in a timely manner. With an extensive list of reasons for its spread, HPV is passed from person to person through close contact – hugging, kissing, sexual intercourse, using general 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 a check can detect the virus at an early stage and block its further spread.
When is the HPV test scheduled?
When the first signs of disease appear on the body, the doctor can see them even by visual examination. An HPV test is prescribed to understand where the virus is coming from in the body, identify its type and then eliminate it.
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 get tested. If a woman is planning to become pregnant, she should be tested for HPV, as the virus will easily penetrate the baby. The father should not be indifferent, because he could be a carrier of the papilloma virus.
Features pass analysis for HPV
It is believed that the detection of HPV before the age of 30 is not informative, since the disease spreads far beyond the human eye. After 30, the first test is prescribed that can detect papillomavirus even at the earliest stage.
The less time has passed since the moment of infection, the more effective the subsequent treatment will be. It is important to identify the time when normal cells begin to grow into cancer cells. The method for diagnosing human papillomavirus depends on several factors:
- Identify the virus and the fact of its existence in the body
- Find out the variations
- Assess the damage caused during the period in which the person did not seek medical assistance
- Prescribe high-quality and effective treatment
Remember:the virus will never leave the host completely, because it has interacted with the body's DNA cells. HPV will remain calm until immune defenses weaken.
What kind of analysis should be done to detect HPV?
- Colposcopy examination. HPV testing in women is done 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 containing epithelial cells is taken, then the sample taken is examined under a microscope. If the cells change, then there is a risk of developing HPV. There is a risk of wrong results.
- Histology. This is in addition to cytology to exclude errors. A small piece of the affected tissue is removed and the doctor assesses the positioning difficulty through a microscope. With the help of a histological examination, it is possible to determine the nature of the formation.
- PCR diagnostics. The most honest way with 98% accuracy. A swab, urine, blood, or amniotic fluid is taken
If at least one examination reveals the presence of the virus, then the patient will be sent for additional analysis to ensure the accuracy of the results. If the results are found to be false positive, then contaminated test material or a violation of generally accepted sampling techniques could be the cause.
Sometimes the patient prepares the analysis incorrectly or chooses the wrong time for the procedure - these factors can also lead to incorrect results.
Test rules
In addition to relying on the treating doctor, the patient himself must follow the process of going through the analysis and knowing the basic process. Doctors are specialists, but health belongs to the patient.
How are biomaterials extracted?
The strokes are taken with a soft brush, which looks like a brush. In free clinics, a Volkmann spoon is sometimes used - a small spoon on a long rod. Such a brush is gently inserted into the channel, then removed in a circular motion. The brushes were placed in a sterile flask and sent for further research.
How to prepare for the procedure for women
2 days before the procedure, you can not live sexually, use soap with an antibacterial effect, douche, use tampons. If the smear is taken from the cervix, then after the procedure for 3 weeks, you can not have sex, exercise, overheat, swim in public places and take drugs that affect blood thinners.
How to prepare for the procedure for men
Sexual intercourse is excluded, bathing for 2 days without detergent. Do not urinate before the procedure.
General preparation for the procedure
It is important to tell the doctor about all the medications a person has taken in the last 2 months.
How is the HPV blood test done?
Used for PCR diagnostics. From a finger, sometimes from a vein, depending on the type of analysis the person is going to take. A slight tingling sensation from the injection is the maximum discomfort of this procedure. If the blood vessels in the elbow area are narrowed, then the process of drawing blood will be difficult, but the doctor will tell you how to dilate the blood vessels properly.
The procedure is performed on an empty stomach, you can not even drink water. It is advisable to bring a bar of chocolate. 3 days before donating blood, it is necessary to exclude all foods that cause an allergic reaction from the diet.
How about a urine test?
It is better to take care of sterile jars yourself. You can buy it at a pharmacy. Collect morning urine in a jar on an empty stomach. Then take it for examination, preferably immediately, a maximum period of 4 hours or the results are canceled. This method is not as accurate as a blood draw, but if it is not possible to donate blood, you should use this method.
How long does it take for an HPV test in women and men?
If a colposcopy is performed, the results are immediately released. With a cytological examination, the results will be ready only after a week. Histology is carried out for 3 days, then you can get the test results in your hands. With diagnostic PCR, you can take the results right away or wait up to 2 days.
When and how often should you have an HPV test?
Until the age of 30, only those with obvious signs of growth on their bodies were examined. Usually at this age, HPV is inactive and does not spread throughout the body.
From the age of 30 to 60 years, it is necessary to have an examination every 3 years. The level of immunity decreases, so signs of human papillomavirus should be detected in time.
After 60 years, usually no examinations are performed. If during the last two tests the presence of the virus was not detected, then you have nothing to worry about. If there are manifestations, then you should carry out treatment until the last 2 results are negative.
Fees and prices for delivery of the HPV test
In the presence of acute disease or at the conclusion of a cancerous tumor, most of the examinations are free. They may be prescribed by the attending oncologist.
For a complete picture of the development of the virus, usually 2 methods are used to eliminate the possibility of false information.
Outlining the results
Decryption should be carried out only by the attending physician. Patient intervention will not lead to anything good. To understand what the result is about, you should pay attention to the following words:
- reference value - no HPV;
- positive result - detectable oncogenic HPV strain;
- the result is negative - no manifestations of cancer were found, but it is possible to find other types of HPV.
If the patient decides to take health and find out about the presence of the human papillomavirus in his body, then one should resort to the above methods. Timely diagnostics save millions of people and help find a calm and healthy life. Only after passing thorough tests can you prescribe quality treatment.
Sometimes patients are sent for tests without external signs of 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 advise seeking timely help.