Understanding the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a major health hazard for women. There are many factors that cause it, and HPV infection is one of them. Knowing about this virus can help women prevent cervical cancer.

What is HPV

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is an epithelial virus with high specificity. German scientist Zur Hausen found after decades of research that HPV is the culprit of cervical cancer! About 80% of women will be infected in their lifetime, and 90% can be cleared within 8 to 10 months. Only 10% to 15% of people are continuously infected, and they have a very high chance of developing cervical cancer. A vaccine for HPV infection has been developed, which is an important step in the prevention of cervical cancer.

The infection routes are as follows: direct infection such as sexual intercourse, repeated pregnancy, smoking, oral contraceptives, and low immunity; indirect infection such as shared use of baths, bathtubs or towels, swimming pools, utensils, and items.

Correctly understand the results of HPV tests

HPV test results are negative or positive. A positive result indicates infection with the HPV virus, which is a necessary condition for cervical cancer, but infection with this virus does not necessarily lead to cervical cancer. There are many other related factors. Many women will have it, but most of them can be eliminated on their own, so there is no need to panic when the test result is positive, but you should also pay attention and do more tests to prevent missed diagnosis.

A negative HPV test result indicates that you are not infected with any of the 21 HPV viruses tested, and your risk of developing cervical cancer is extremely low before the next routine checkup. HPV infection is a long process, with a latent period of several years. Once the body's immunity is reduced or other pathogenic factors act together, the latent virus can resume activity and cause harm to the human body.