The Human Papilloma Virus HPV it is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. As a general rule and by an estimate of 80% made by the UK public health, a man who is sexually active at some point in your life you will go through this type of infection.
We cannot minimize the importance of this sexually transmitted disease, as it is one of the most common and it can lead to different cancers, including anal cancer affecting 84% of cases, penile cancer appearing in 47% and mouth and throat cancer.
Human papillomavirus in men is not easy to detect
Right now there is no conclusive test to detect this virus and that is why it is difficult to diagnose. It happens that the strains that are at higher risk of the virus do not give symptoms of any kind and that complicates your assessment.
The same does not happen in the case of women, where you can take samples of cells from the cervix, with the so-called Pap smear or Pap test. With this test, it is possible to see if there are cells associated with cancer by analyzing their DNA.
How is it contracted and what are its symptoms?
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Men can getting HPV through sexual intercourse, in this case becoming infected by a person who is already infected. Anal, vaginal or oral sex or any other form where skin contact is involved it is enough to be able to transmit HPV.
Most men have no symptoms when infected and in many cases this infection goes away on its own. However, when it doesn't go away is when genital warts begin to appear, which can be indicative of some type of cancer.
It must be concluded that HPV infection it is not synonymous with suffering from cancer, But it can produce certain kinds of changes in the body that it causes to occur. It can be developed anal cancer, penile cancer or have cancer on the back of throat, tongue, or tonsils. There are people who contract this infection and, as we have reviewed, they disappear on their own, but in other cases it may develop very slowly and go undiagnosed years later or even decades.
Types of genital warts
Warts usually appear as small lumps or a group of lumps. Some are small, some are large, flat, lumpy, or cauliflower-shaped and show around the penis or anus. They can become static or increase as time goes by. In many cases they are not usually considered dangerous and do not cause serious damage, so they can disappear in a period of two years. However, in the event of any symptoms, a doctor must be consulted for early observation.
Is there a treatment for the human papillomavirus?
There is no specific treatment for human papillomavirus, but there are treatments for the symptoms that derive it. The doctor who follows the treatment will make a diagnosis related to a possible cancer, the earlier the diagnosis is made, the more likely it will be to solve the problem.
In the case of genital warts, there is treatment based on creams, lotions with chemicals, where the warts will be destroyed and disappear. In the event that this type of treatment does not work, they will be removed surgically or by freezing or burning.
Which people are most vulnerable to HPV?
There are people more vulnerable than others and this usually happens in men with weak immune systems. If they have contracted this infection, they can have health problems derived from it and even cancer created by such weakness.
To reduce the chances of contracting this virus there is the vaccine, a safe and effective measure that also protects men from contracting HPV. It is recommended to vaccinate children from the age of 11 or 12 so that they can be protected from future cancer as a result of the virus.
On the other hand, another of the best measures would be the use of condoms when they have sex, whatever kind they are. With this process you make sure you are not infected by any sexually transmitted infection.
In conclusion, human papillomavirus in men is usually temporary. A person can be infected for years and it is not causing you health problems. If you have a partner and one of them is infected, it cannot be determined for how long they have been exposed to it, nor is it synonymous with either of the two having been in contact with other people. It is important that before this fact the problem is discussed and a quick solution is sought.