What are warts?
Warts (genital warts) are the most common sexually transmitted disease and are caused by wart-like bumps on the genitals. The cause of genital warts is the human papilloma virus (HPV). It is widely known that HPV causes warts in men and uterine cancer in women, but it is not known that both men and women can get oral sex through mouth and throat infections and are an important cause of laryngeal cancer.
The results of a large-scale epidemiological survey on HPV were presented at the American Urological Association, which is held every May. It was such an unexpected result that it drew the excitement of the audience that filled the presentation hall at the time. Nearly 1,600 adults between the ages of 18 and 69 living in the United States were screened and the HPV virus was detected in an astonishing 45.2% of men and 39.9% of women.
It is the result of PCR examination on the foreskin of the penis in men and the vaginal mucosa in women. This means that one in two men and women without any symptoms can infect their partner. The good news is that Asians living in the U.S. are lower than other races, at 24.4% and 23.2%, respectively. Considering that immunity to certain viruses varies by ethnicity, it is estimated that the reality in Korea will not be much different, but even this result was far higher than expected.
Warts can be transmitted even if there are no symptoms
The HPV virus is transmitted through direct contact with the skin or mucous membranes. Therefore, it is not transmitted through towels or toilet bowls. Nevertheless, oral sex is an important route for viral infection. In this study, too, about 7.3% of normal people had the virus detected in their mouths.It can be transmitted to the genitals through oral sex, but it can also be transmitted in the opposite direction.
Like all viral infections, HPV mostly heals on its own. According to statistics, about 80% of them will disappear on their own within one year and 90% within two years. The problem is that you can transmit it to others in the process of healing on its own without any symptoms. It is not uncommon for a wife to be diagnosed with warts and her spouse to have no symptoms. I believe that this "asymptomatic transmission" may have played a big role in the reason why warts became the most common sexually transmitted disease.
Why is the HPV virus dangerous?
Immunity to the virus is said to vary from person to person. People who are susceptible to one virus may be stronger against another. Differences in immunity to specific bacteria or viruses, rather than overall immunity, are said to vary by race because they are inherited from parents. The reason why Asians living in the U.S. have a lower rate of HPV virus transmission than blacks may be due to genetic factors as well as cultural environment. In any case, it's important to keep in mind that even if you don't have any symptoms, the person who has been infected may suffer from severe symptoms.
The cells that make up our body die on their own when something goes wrong. In medical terms, it's called apoptosis. It's a normal midnight function to prevent cancer. However, the HPV virus is said to block this function. From the virus's point of view, it is a measure to make itself more profitable, but from the point of view of infected people, it is an environment in which cancer can easily develop. This is why the HPV virus is an important cause of penile, uterine, and laryngeal cancers. The reason why these cancers are so prevalent may not be an inherent feature of the virus or cancer, but simply because these areas are easily touched by sex. Seeing that warts have become the most common sexually transmitted disease, the evolution of the HPV virus is successful.
It is important to note that the results of this study are statistics on the number of people in whom the virus has been detected. Considering that the vast majority of people get rid of HPV on their own, the actual number of infected people is likely much higher. It is reasonable to assume that most people are exposed to HPV infection. It seems to me that at least the perception of the HPV virus should change. The old idea that warts had to be developed to spread to others was wrong. The more substantive explanation is that HPV virus infection is much more prevalent than we think, and only immunocompromised people develop warts.
How to prevent infection with the HPV virus
So what's the smart way to deal with it? Most importantly, even if you don't have symptoms, you can still find out if you have an infection with a very simple test. If you do a viral genetic test (PCR test) by rubbing the skin of the penis with a soft cotton swab, you will usually know the results the next day, depending on the laboratory. The cost of the test varies from hospital to hospital, but it can cost tens of thousands of won.
If the virus is detected, it can be passed on to others, even if they do not have symptoms. Fortunately, if the virus is not detected, you may want to consider a preventive vaccine. There are more than 40 types of HPV viruses that infect humans, but vaccines have been developed to prevent nine of them, which are the main cause of the disease. The younger the vaccine, the more effective it is, and it is said that the more effective it is to give it before the age of 13 and three doses afterwards.
It is good to see that there is increased awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and that more people are using condoms. Yet, many people still don't know that sexually transmitted diseases can be transmitted through oral sex. Considering that inadvertent oral sex can cause not only genital warts but also uterine cancer in your spouse or cancer of your own larynx, it is worth considering the need for viral testing and vaccine treatment.
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