SO MANY questions on HPV?

Question

I dont understand this virus. It seems nor do a lot of other people. I have gone on the internet, library and talk to help care providers. This virus can be so MANY different things. It can be warts on hands, feet, other parts of the body and genital. It can cause abnormalities to cells in the cervix and cause cancer. This virus connects to you DNA and or rDNA. If it is connected to you dna dont you already pass it down to your child?Why does no one really know about this STD!? It is just as important. They say its not that important unless it is cancer. Well we dont want it to lead to caner, RIGHT? I have found that some say "hpv" can go away on its own, Not genital warts(but genital warts is hpv, it doesnt make sense to me). If you have abnormal cells than that is the only way it can go away on it own. If you diet, excercise and do all this healthy things, but ONLY for the abnormal cells. IS THAT TRUE?

Answer 1

I'm going to try and clear this up for you.

For most people HPV does go away on its own, but, for some people they will have it their entire life.

There are over 100 different kinds of HPV. Many don't do anything, but some can cause cancer including cervical, penile, rectal, and head and neck cancer. HPV can also cause warts, including genital warts, hand and feet warts and other body parts.

I have never head of HPV connecting to your RNA or DNA though. Where did you read this at? HPV isn't passed down to our children through the DNA because it's not hereditary, like some diseases. Babies can be born with HPV if their mother has it, but this is REALLY rare. This happens as the baby is coming through the birth canal and rubs against any warts in the genital area the mother may have. It is passed by direct skin to skin contact, not through the DNA.

And you are right, you don't want it to lead to cancer. That is why is is SO important for women who are sexually active to get a pap smear done at least once a year. Pap smears are the best thing a women can do to detect any early signs of abnormal growth on the cervix (like pre-cancerous cells). Cervical cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women (after breast cancer). It kills 4,000 women a year!

Diet and exercise will not help you get rid of HPV or any cancerous cells a person may have. The easiest way to get rid of abnormal cells is to have them removed, hopefully before they turn into something serious like cancer.

HPV is VERY common. I've read about 75-80% of the world has HPV and most don't know they have it. That is why it is spread so easily from person to person. Most of us don't realize we have it and end up going around and spreading it to others not realizing it. The worst HPV can do is cause cancer, which can be deadly, but if caught in time it can be treated. Warts are also usually treated fairly easily. In some cases though, they need to be removed with surgery.

I don't know if you have heard or not, but they have a new vaccine out for HPV called Gardsil. It prevents 4 different types of HPV, two that cause cervical cancer and two that cause genital warts. Type 16 and 18 (cervical cancer types) account for 70% of cervical cancer cases. Types 6 and 11 (genital warts) account for 90% of genital warts cases. I've read many doctors and even Merck and Co., the company that makes the new vaccine, suggest everyone, including people who already have HPV, to get the vaccine. Merck and Co. says that most people do not have all of those 4 types of HPV, so if you do get the vaccine, you'll be able to prevent getting any of those 4 types you don't already have. Even though I have HPV I still plan on getting the vaccine. I know it won't make my HPV go away, but it might prevent me from getting a type of HPV I don't already have.

Check out the last paragraph in this article (you have to have PDF):
http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_ppi.pdf

I hope this cleared up some questions you had!

***Also, la_nena_sabe, is wrong about only being two strains that cause cervical cancer and two strains that cause genital warts. There are several strains that cause genital warts and about a dozen that can cause cancer (at least four of them cause cervical cancer).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hpv#HPV-induced_diseases

Answer 2

It seems to be a subject on which public information is deficient. I have seen that HPV is a virus of which 100+ strains exist and which may never exhibit symptoms (and escape detection). It is also a very common affliction. As far as I know, no medical cure is known for hpv. I believe genital warts can be removed via medical procedures (freezing them and removing them). On the other hand, genital warts caused by hpv are the least dangerous in terms of causing cancer. They are benign growths. Whether a virus such as HPV could be passed from mother to child is beyond the scope of my understanding. I have limited understanding of DNA and I suspect most medical personnel have a similarly limited grasp of this complex subject. It is an unfortunate disease to have been dealt but if it is merely a matter of genital warts, it is far less severe than HIV/AIDS. Whether those abnormal cells you mentioned will go away on their own may be within the normal realm of possibilities. I agree this subject is most perplexing.

Answer 3

There are over 100 [yes, a hundred] different strains of the HPV identified to date; of these, only 2 [strains 6 and 11] cause genital warts, and another 2 [strains 16 and 18] have been linked to cervical cancer. Over 70% of sexually active people will be infected with one or more of the strains of HPV at some point in their lives; in most cases, the body's own immune system will fight the virus without the person ever knowing. Merck Pharmaceutical just released a vaccine for women/girls aged 9 to 26 that protects against the 4 strains that cause cervical cancer and genital warts [sorry, but there's no such a vaccine for guys]. For more information, visit the following sites:

http://tell-someone.hpv.com/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/

Answer 4

i dont know where or who you are getting your info from but the HPV is human pappaloma virus its an STD that causes pre-cancerous cells on your cervix if not treated ( the dr removes than then freezes the area) it can lead to cancer and you will have to have a full hysterectomy and possibly chemo or radiation treatments. there is a shot available from your dr to prevent you from getting the virus and the HPV only, it does not protect you from other STD'S HIV OR AIDS and once you get this shot you will not get the HPV as long as you dont already have it girls are getting the shot as early as age 10 and before they start thier first period or if they are a virgin cause girls are getting sexually active earlier and earlier each year

Answer 5

i've had HPV since i was 19.... here's the story... you do not pass it on to your children... it is a sexually transmitted disease that men do not suffer any adverse affects from but they can transfer it from woman to woman. that's how is spreads.... the younger you are when you start to have sex the more like you are to are to get in by having contact with an "infected" man. it causes abnormal cells in the cervix... if the area is small it's fairly easy and quick to remove them (had this done 6 times) if the area is larger it's a more involved process that requires and outpatient stay (had this done twice)... it does not go away... ever... it may not cause abnormal cell growth but it doesn't go away and you can always pass it on to your partner... whether you have visual warts or not.... if abnormal cells are left untreated they will become cervical cancer so yearly exams are vital for anyone who has had an abnormal pap smear.

hope this helps