HPV: Virus affects 90% of population, and most are unaware

• Published date: 01 October 2021
• Author: Walla!
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

HPV has been in the headlines in recent years and awareness of it has grown, especially in light of the vaccine that is now administered to young teens.

The vaccine aims to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer that the virus can cause, and protect against genital warts. We asked Prof. Ilan Baruchim, director of the Department of Gynecology and Gyno-Oncology, and Dr. Tomer Bar-Noy, a senior physician in the Gynecology-Oncology unit at Hillel Yaffe, to explain all aspects of HPV.

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What is human papillomavirus (HPV) and how dangerous is it?

HPV is a group of over 200 species of viruses belonging to the Papillomaviridae family. Some varieties, like the HPV6 and HPV11 strains are low risk and can cause conical warts - so-called "condyloma."

This is a problem that is primarily aesthetic and not dangerous or linked to cancer. Warts are transmitted through sex via direct contact with a partner who has active or dormant condyloma. In some cases only individual warts are seen, but widespread infection can also occur. Warts can be present in the vulva, vagina, cervix, anus and/or penis. Treating the warts depends on the location and areas affected.

If there's a limited number of warts or a limited infected area, usually the treatment is topical, like ointments or gels.

In the case of more advanced cases with widespread warts, the proposed treatment will usually include using a laser or freezing with cold nitrogen that will "burn" off the warts, or surgical removal in cases where there is no adequate response to the various treatments, explained Dr. Bar Noy.

He added that these methods aim to destroy the condyloma lesions while trying to preserve the surrounding healthy tissue.

Another part of the same family of viruses, about 15 strains, are considered high-risk, mainly the strains HPV16 and HPV18, which can actually lead to the development of cervical cancer, and at a lesser but significant rate, also cases of vaginal and anal cancer and malignancies in the mouth and the throat.

Even in these cases the strains are transmitted by sexual contact.

How contagious is HPV?

"It should be noted that the rate of infection with the papilloma virus is very high, and in fact more than 90% of men and about 80% of women will be infected during their lifetime. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United...