In the presence of symptoms and signs of the disease, the doctor prescribes many laboratory tests to confirm assumptions and make a diagnosis. In the list of appointments, patients can find an HPV analysis: what it is, why and when it was prescribed - not everyone can answer.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus, HPV is a whole group of widespread viral-like infectious diseases. Scientists know of more than 100 types of this virus, and not all of them are harmful to humans. Most are not seen to be present in the body for a long time, causing transport. However, about 14 types of these viruses are oncogenic - they provoke the development of malignant neoplasms. When diagnosing, doctors always pay attention to the type of HPV, its oncogenicity, which determines its further course of action and the nature of its treatment.
Human papilloma virus - types
Papillomaviruses are usually divided into types depending on the risk of provoking the development of oncology. Taking these factors into account, there are three main groups of HPV:
- Non-oncogenic- never lead to the development of malignant tumors.
- Low oncogenic risk- can, under certain conditions, trigger the development of cancer: 6, 11, 42, 43, 44.
- High oncogenic risk- when infected with this type of HPV, it is difficult to avoid the development of malignant tumors. Oncogenic human papillomavirus: 16, 18, 31, 35, 33, 45, 58, 59, 52.
How is the human papilloma virus transmitted?
Knowing how the papillomavirus is transmitted can reduce the risk of infection. But 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. The transfer can also be done during kissing, when there are microcracks and scratches on the surface of the lips. You can also become infected if you violate hygiene rules when visiting public places:
- sauna;
- pool:
- bathe;
- and also when using someone else's toothbrush, towel, razor.
Infection can also occur when the baby passes through the mother's infected route during delivery. Experts do not rule out the possibility of transmission of the virus by contact: it is unstable, but is able to maintain some activity.Among the factors that trigger HPV infection:
- the beginning of sexual activity;
- a large number of sexual partners;
- sexually transmitted infections;
- reduced immunity.
Human papillomavirus - symptoms
Human papillomavirus can be present invisibly in the body for a long time. The incubation period, according to experts, can last from 2 months to 2 years. The disease proceeds imperceptibly: 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 to 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 according to the place of penetration of the virus into the body: genitals, surface of the hands, lips. These formations look like papillary growths, sometimes outwardly resembling cauliflower. The growths are painless, but with friction and injury, they can cause pain and bleeding.
Why do I need an HPV test?
Having told about the virus, let's move on to information about HPV analysis: what type of research it is, how it is carried out and in what cases it is prescribed. To begin with, we note that if human papillomavirus is suspected, analysis helps confirm or disprove the assumption. This kind of research has the following objectives:
- identification of HPV with high oncogenic risk;
- confirmation / denial of the persistence of certain types of HPV;
- cancer risk assessment in patients with cervical epithelial lining dysplasia.
In addition to the stated reasons for the examination, an HPV analysis (as is - indicated above) can be performed in the following cases:
- Primary screening for cervical cancer in women over 30 years.
- Evaluation of the outcome of surgical treatment of intraepithelial neoplasia.
- Doubtful cytological examination results from gynecological smears.
What test should I take for HPV?
There are several methods to determine the presence of the papilloma virus in the body. However, in most cases, doctors use PCR. If it is necessary to pass an analysis for HPV, the patient undergoes this examination in person. Various biological body fluids can be used as examination materials:
- blood;
- urine;
- amniotic fluid (when diagnosing diseases during pregnancy).
Talking about HPV analysis, what it is and how to do it, it is worth paying attention to the possibility of studying tissue material. So, during colposcopy, the doctor carefully examines the mucous membrane of the cervix. The presence of small papillomas on them is direct evidence of the damage of HPV to the body. For confirmation, a small piece of tissue is taken to be examined under a microscope to rule out malignancy.
HPV diagnostic methods
HPV diagnostics is a series of measures aimed at establishing the presence of the virus and determining its type. For this purpose, the following techniques are used:
- Digene test- modern precision methods. With its help, it is possible to establish the concentration of the virus in the body, its type and oncogenicity. The material for the study was scraping from the mucous membrane of the urethra or vagina. It is often used in combination with cytology.
- HPV PCR Diagnostics- a simple and affordable diagnostic method that is widespread. The material used is the patient's blood or urine. Assumes detection of traces of viral DNA in samples.
- Cytological examination- examination of the smear under a microscope. The assessment criterion is the presence of modified cells in the smear - dyskeratocytes and koilocytes.
- Detection of antibodies against HPV- helps identify viral infections at an early stage. The disadvantage is that it is not possible to establish the concentration and type of virus.
- Histological examination - examination of a sample of the affected tissue to determine the type of HPV and its oncogenicity.
Human papillomavirus - how is it tested?
Before the examination, even during the issuance of the referral, the doctor informs the patient in detail how the HPV test is carried out in a particular case. Depending on the examination methods and materials used, the analysis algorithms may differ. Preparation for research is very important. Correct implementation of all points of the preparatory steps allows you to get an objective analysis result and eliminates 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 very important. This is represented by:
- blood;
- urine;
- swab from the vagina or urethra.
Depending on the type of biologic fluid being studied, the patient is given recommendations on how to prepare for analysis the day before. The task of the examinee is to strictly follow the preparatory rules. This will avoid getting false results, and in some cases false positives, when the results show the presence of HPV in its absence.
HPV blood test
Talking about how the HPV test is carried out, it should be noted that in most cases, the patient's blood is used for it. The study was conducted on an empty stomach: 10–12 hours before the expected time to take the material, the patient should not eat; as a drink, you can use plain water without gas. 2-3 days before the day of analysis, it is forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages, fatty and junk food. Only in this case, the diagnosis of HPV with blood will allow you to get an accurate test result.
HPV smear analysis
This method is more often used to check the fair sex. Before women are tested for HPV, they are prepared for this screening. The doctor introduces the patient in detail to all the rules of preparation.In this process, the following important points can be highlighted:
- Smears were taken before starting antibiotics or 2. 5 weeks after the end of treatment.
- On the day of sampling, it is forbidden to use the external genital organs toilet using chemical hygiene products.
- Do not douche, insert vaginal suppositories.
- One day before taking the material, you should refrain from sexual intercourse.
- It is ideal to take the analysis in the middle of the cycle, it is forbidden to conduct research during the ovulation period.
HPV analysis decoding
Only a doctor can decipher the results of an HPV test correctly. The specialist evaluates not only the quantitative value of the indicator, but also the clinical picture, possible signs of infection. Getting a complete picture of what is happening helps to choose the right drug and choose an effective method of treatment. At the same time, it is important to take into account the seriousness of timely diagnosis and treatment: with increasing age of the patient, the risk of developing a malignant neoplasm increases.
Quantitative HPV analysis
When HPV testing is performed using quantitative analysis, decoding involves establishing the concentration of virus at the time of the study. This helps determine appropriate tactics for patient management. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) measures the amount of HPV DNA in the test sample. This is necessary for continuous dynamic monitoring of certain types of human papillomavirus.
However, even those who know about HPV analysis, what it is and how it is done, cannot independently decipher the results. This should be done in conjunction with examination of the patient and other examinations. When assessing, experts adhere to the interpretation of the following indicators:
- lg< 3- low risk of developing dysplasia;
- lg 3-5- clinically significant results, there is a risk of developing cervical dysplasia;
- lg >5- the probability of dysplasia is high, perhaps the initial stage of the disease.
Qualitative HPV analysis
Analysis of high oncogenic risk HPV was performed using this technique. Help identify the 16th and 18th HPV types. This form of the virus often causes genital cancer in women and squamous cell carcinoma, genital warts, and cervical dysplasia. The detection efficiency of HPV DNA reaches 98%. The conclusion suggests an answer with an indication of each type of virus. There are two possible results: found / not found.