Papillomavirus infections of the genitals

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an extremely common infection, mainly sexually transmitted. The epidemiological aspects of the disease are contradictory. The frequency of papilomavirus infection (PVI) in European countries, according to various authors, ranges from 6 to 47%, in America - from 1 to 90%, which is determined, of course, by the methods of research and the specifics of the studied population. In the domestic literature, there are data on the study of the detectability of PVI among various segments of the population, which vary from 56% among patients with cervical pathology to 95% among patients with sexually transmitted infections. HPV is one of the most widespread groups of viruses in the world that affect the skin and mucous membranes of the body. More than 120 types of HPV have been identified. The family consists of "low oncogenic risk" viruses associated with benign neoplasms, such as warts and papillomas, and "high oncogenic risk" viruses 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer in 80% of cases. This is the second most common malignant disease in women under the age of 45 after breast cancer. In America, an estimate was made of a reduction in life expectancy for cervical cancer, by about 26.1 years[23]. A number of studies have hypothesized that HPV plays a role in the development of other oncological diseases, including malignant neoplasms in the oral cavity and anus. The realization of malignant diseases is primarily promoted by a decrease in immunity. Of course, not everyone infected with HPV develops cancer.