Condylomas infection. Condyloma infection in sexually active people: how it happens. Factors that increase the risk of contracting condylomas

Condyloma is a consequence of the human papillomavirus. Genital warts (genital papillomas, condylomatosis) are relatively small flesh-colored growths that can appear on the human body, on the genitals, around the anus, and sometimes in the mouth. Genital warts are a viral disease caused by the human papillomavirus. Genital warts must be treated. Condyloma, if not removed in time, in some cases can grow to a relatively large size. Condylomas in the anal area create discomfort and a sensation of a foreign body.
Who is the causative agent of condylomas, genital warts?
The human papillomavirus is the cause of genital warts and condylomas in general. It should be noted that various types of human papillomavirus are widespread throughout almost the entire planet. The causative agent of genital warts is human papillomavirus types 6 and 11. Medicine knows more than 100 types of human papillomavirus that can infect the human body.
Types of condylomas and their pathogens:
1. plantar warts - human papillomavirus type 1
2. simple warts - types 2 and 4 of human papillomavirus
3. flat warts - types 3 and 10 of human papillomavirus
4. cervical dysplasia and increased risk of cervical cancer - types: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35 human papillomavirus
5. genital warts - types 6 and 11 of human papillomavirus.
Infection occurs through normal (household) or sexual contact with infected skin or mucous membranes. Genital warts most often occur where there are microtraumas during sexual intercourse, and also, possibly, on any part of the body. The papilloma virus lives in the deep layers of the skin; does not enter the blood or organs. The appearance of genital warts from the moment of infection ranges from several weeks to several years.
A regular condom is not a barrier to the papilloma virus, since the size of the papilloma virus is much smaller than the size of the pores of the condom. Self-propagation of the papilloma virus and condylomas occurs with the emergence of new foci outside the zone of primary formation. In 50-70% of children born to mothers infected with the papilloma virus and condylomas, vertical transmission of the papilloma virus occurs.
All types of human papillomavirus that affect the skin and mucous membranes of the genital organs are divided into two risk groups:
* “high” (primarily: 16,18,31,33,35), which cause cervical dysplasia and increase the risk of cervical cancer. These types of papillomavirus do not cause genital warts.
* “low” (mainly: 6 and 11) cause genital warts, but do not cause cervical dysplasia and do not increase the risk of cervical cancer.
The likelihood of transmitting the papilloma virus and genital warts during sex: 46-67%. It is also possible to transfer the papilloma virus and genital warts from parents to children, as well as from children to children through household contact.
Wart-like formations (condylomas) of a pinkish-flesh color appear on the genitals. The size of condylomas ranges from 1 mm to several centimeters. Condylomas can grow, gradually taking on the appearance of cauliflower. Genital warts in men usually occur on the glans penis, crown of the glans, frenulum of the foreskin and inner layer of the foreskin. Genital warts in women appear on the frenulum of the labia, labia majora and minora, clitoris, external opening of the urethra, vestibule of the vagina, hymen, vagina and cervix. Genital warts also appear around the anus, in the rectum - due to infection during anal sex.
Diagnosis of genital warts, human papillomavirus
* Detection of genital warts, cervical dysplasia, etc. - examination by a doctor.
* Results of cytological examination (for example, for cervical dysplasia).
* Detection of human papillomavirus by PCR.
You need to know that if you suspect genital warts, you need to exclude a number of diseases, such as molluscum contagiosum and condylomas lata (manifestations of syphilis). All patients with genital warts must be examined for syphilis and AIDS. It also makes sense to test for other sexually transmitted infections.
Due to the fact that human papillomavirus infections are widespread, including “high-risk” types of viruses, it is advisable for all women to have an annual cytological examination of cervical smears for the timely detection of cervical dysplasia.
The most common forms of manifestation of condylomas:
1. external (exophytic) form - genital warts - are the most specific manifestation of the human papillomavirus. In addition to the traditional target organs, such as the skin and mucous membranes of the anal and urogenital areas, human papillomavirus is also found in the upper respiratory tract, conjunctiva of the eyes, oral mucosa, esophagus, and rectum. Genital condylomas mainly affect areas of greatest maceration. Typical localization of genital warts in women: labia, vagina, cervix, urethra, clitoris, anus, etc.
2. Internal (endophytic) form - condylomas are divided into flat, inverting and atypical condylomas, which are usually called by the general term flat condylomas. Flat condylomas are located deep in the epithelium of the mucous membrane, difficult to distinguish with the naked eye; these condylomas most often affect the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix. In 50% of cases, flat condylomas are combined with dysplasia of varying degrees, and in 5% of cases - with preinvasive carcinoma. Malignancy of flat condyloma with signs of atypia to the degree of intraepithelial cancer occurs in 4-10% of cases within two years.

Warts or condylomas are benign growths that appear in any part of the body. Since the disease is not uncommon, it is necessary to know how condylomas are transmitted and the mechanism of development of the pathological process. Condylomas are caused by human papillomavirus, which can be infected in various ways. Pathology manifests itself in a weakened immune system after several weeks, months or even years.

It is important to know the specifics of transmission of condylomas so as not to jeopardize personal health and the health of loved ones.

Causes of the pathological process

Condylomas in women are diagnosed much more often than in men. Externally, the formation is a pointed or flat wart that forms on any part of the body or inside the genitals. When a lot of condylomas are observed, they look similar to cauliflower. Pathological growths provoke discomfort, pain, itching, burning and are a cosmetic defect. The greatest danger is represented by condylomas, which have a high level of oncogenicity.

In men, growths are often diagnosed in the penis or anus.

The cause of condylomas lies in the human papillomavirus. Doctors have identified at least 80 strains of viruses. As a rule, most are safe for human health, but about a third of the strains pose a threat to the patient’s life. Such viruses are oncogenic and condylomas often degenerate into cancer.

Condylomas grow due to HPV entering the human body.

Condylomas are transmitted sexually or through household contact. The disease predominantly affects girls and boys under the age of 25 who are promiscuous and practice frequent changes of sexual partners. This is due to the fact that during this period young people are at the peak of sexual activity and forget to protect themselves during sex, which is why the virus enters the body in the main way - sexually.

Development mechanism

When the papillomavirus is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person, the latter may not experience a pathological process immediately. To activate the virus, it is necessary that the immune system is weak and does not protect the human body from pathogenic microorganisms. On average, the incubation period lasts 7-8 months. In people with strong immunity, condylomas may appear after a few years; in other cases, warts appear within a month. Papillomavirus develops as follows:

Pathogenic microorganisms penetrate healthy cells of epithelial tissue or mucous membrane. The penetration of the virus is facilitated by existing microtraumas, which are associated with mechanical damage, bacterial infection or inflammation.
With a weakened immune system, the DNA of normal cells is replaced by a viral one, thus the disease begins to progress.
When there are many viral cells, condyloma appears on the skin or mucous membrane. If multiple condylomas appear, they form into one large formation.

Condylomas grow in the intimate area of a person, provoking changes at the gene level in healthy cells.

When the surface layer of the epithelium is sent for cytological examination, it is discovered that cells infected with the virus have smaller parameters and have a light-colored rim around the cell nucleus. If the nature of the disease is benign, then there are a small number of such viral cells.

Routes of infection

A person can only get a viral infection from another person who has papillomavirus in their body. Sometimes it happens that an infected patient has no signs of condyloma, but he is a carrier of the virus. A healthy person can be infected primarily through sexual contact. This route of infection is the most common. In this case, the following persons are at risk:

men who practice homosexual acts;
young people who began to be sexually active early;
practicing frequent changes of sexual partners;
people who had sex (even once) with a partner who had or has herpes, trichomoniasis, chlamydia or other diseases.

You can become infected with condylomas at home or through sexual contact.

A less common route of infection is contact and household transmission of the virus. Such an infection is possible if a healthy person uses someone else’s towel or underwear that fits closely to the body. Often, papillomavirus is transmitted when visiting public places, such as bathhouses, saunas, and swimming pools. This is due to the fact that pathogenic microorganisms, although in small quantities, are present in human saliva and urine.

How long it takes for condylomas to appear after infection in men and women will depend on their overall health. Activation of the virus can occur as a result of:

weakening the body's defense system;
hormonal imbalance;
presence of chronic diseases;
bad habits;
lack of vitamins and microelements in the body;
STD infections;
congenital immunodeficiency;
drug use;
bad ecology.

Stressful situations and chronic fatigue can also trigger the manifestation of HPV. An irregular work schedule and lack of rest are a good help for the manifestation of human papillomavirus infection, which is much more difficult to cure than to acquire.

Is genital warts sexually transmitted?

If condylomas occur in the genital area, methods of infection should be considered and differentiated specifically from sexual intercourse. You can become infected during:

Oral sex (often in this case the virus will manifest itself in the larynx, on the mucous epithelium of the oral cavity, and affect the tonsils).
Vaginal intimate intercourse. With this route of transmission, the virus will provoke the growth of epithelial cells inside the vagina, on the cervix, clitoris in women, on the genitals, testicles in men.
If genital warts appeared in the anal area, infection in this case could occur during anal sex. Such growths can affect the epithelium of the rectum, intestines, be localized deep inside the body, or protrude from the anus as pineal formations.

How are genital warts transmitted through household means?

How is the virus transmitted in everyday life and is this possible? In fact, HPV does not live long in open space and dies quickly. However, in everyday life, where people communicate closely and use the same things, infection may well occur.

HPV particles that cause the appearance of warts are contained in biological secretions - blood, saliva, semen, vaginal mucus. They can be stored and transmitted via:

towels;
washcloth;
bed sheets;
cosmetical tools;
underwear.

Genital warts: perinatal route of transmission and infection

If a child develops growths, the route of transmission and infection should be sought in the infected mother. During pregnancy, women experience hormonal changes and a decrease in the body's protective function. These 2 factors contribute to the activation of the virus and its subsequent transmission to the fetus.

Self-healing from HPV in children can only occur if they have a strong immune system and no congenital pathologies. In other cases, the virus can provoke active growth of tumors in the mouth, eyes, and inside the throat. A dangerous phenomenon is the development of laryngeal papillomatosis, which is fraught with asphyxia, impaired swallowing functions and death. Women with warts in the genital area are advised to give birth by caesarean section.

Transfer in a public place

If condylomas occur, methods of infection should be sought in the contact of a person or child with an infected person in a public place. Infection can occur:

At school;
kindergarten;
At work;
in a swimming pool;
on the beach, etc.

HPV is considered one of the most common viruses on the planet. It provokes the appearance of condylomas and papillomas on the skin. This problem worries many people, as neoplasms spoil the appearance and cause discomfort. The human papillomavirus is extremely resilient. It is able to remain active even in swimming pools with antiseptics dissolved in water, as well as in baths and saunas. Its survivability and ease of transmission have caused large-scale destruction of the population by this virus.

What is this

Condylomas are neoplasms of a characteristic appearance in the anogenital area caused by the human papillomavirus. They come in 2 types: wide and pointed. Condylomas of the first type are considered a manifestation of secondary syphilis, have a wide base and are not very common. Formations of the second type are diagnosed much more often. They have a narrow stem and a pointed end. Condylomas are always localized in the genital area, sometimes inside them, less often in the mouth.

In the absence of adequate treatment, neoplasms can degenerate into precancer, and then into oncology. The tendency of a virus to transform depends on its type:

HPV type 1 causes plantar warts and is safe;
HPV types 2 and 4 provoke simple warts, the level of oncogenicity is low;
HPV types 3 and 10 cause flat warts and have a low risk of cancerous transformation;
The 16th, 18th, 31st, 33rd, 35th type of HPV provokes dysplasia of the uterine epithelium, the level of windowogenicity is high;
HPV types 6 and 11 cause condylomatosis, a low risk of cancer transformation.

Neoplasms have different sizes - from 2 mm to 10 cm. They tend to merge into masses. Such groups of condylomas resemble a cockscomb. The virus is found in human skin, but does not penetrate the blood or internal organs.

Where to look on the body

To understand that a partner is infected with condylomatosis, it is necessary to know the typical locations of neoplasms. The presence of growths on other parts of the body and of a different type does not indicate the presence of HPV.

Genital warts are transmitted through the mucous membranes of the genital organs, less commonly the oral cavity.

The places of their typical localization are associated with this:

On the head and crown of the penis, frenulum and inner part of the foreskin in men;
On the clitoris and in the area of its hood, external and internal labia, in the vestibule and on the walls of the vagina, urethra and urethra; on the hymen and cervix in women;
In the perineum, around the anal ring and inside the rectum in representatives of both sexes.

The location of condylomas is usually directly related to the form of transmission. But sometimes the virus spreads itself throughout the body, and outbreaks occur in non-contact areas.

There are several forms of condylomas:

Exophytic (external) – common, formations are found in places of typical localization, as well as on the conjunctiva of the eyes, in the oral cavity, on the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract and esophagus;
Endophytic (internal) - less common, has several subspecies: inverting, flat and atypical. Flat ones are located in the inner layers of the mucosal epithelium, so they are difficult to notice with the naked eye. Typical locations are the vagina, cervix. Every second flat condyloma is complicated by epithelial dysplasia of varying degrees, every twentieth is complicated by preinvasive carcinoma.

The exophytic form is not prone to cancerous degeneration, unlike the endophytic one. But it also needs treatment, as it spoils the aesthetic appearance and creates psychological and sometimes physical discomfort.

How does infection occur?

Contrary to popular belief, the virus is not transmitted through biological fluids: saliva, blood, semen. The pathogen is localized only in the skin and mucous membranes, penetrating into the inner layers, but does not circulate throughout the body.

HPV is transmitted through injured areas of mucous membranes and skin, as well as at the junction of two types of epithelial tissue: cylindrical and flat multilayer. The easiest way for a pathogen to penetrate and multiply is in a weakened body.

If you have good immunity, infection will not occur. If the virus still manages to penetrate the body, special cells - lymphocytes - will not allow it to multiply. They are responsible for fighting microorganisms, destroying them. To do this, immune cells produce specific antibodies.

The risk of infection increases in proportion to the number of partners. However, for most women, infection occurs with the first man. Using a condom to protect against the virus is not always rational. This reduces the risk of infection, but does not eliminate it. The pores of the condom are too large, and the size of the virus is small, so it can penetrate through them. Condylomas are often located in places not covered by the condom. In this case, it is easy to become infected with HPV even with a condom.

When the immune system disappears and rises to a normal level, the manifestations of the disease disappear on their own. This usually occurs 1-2 years after the onset of the disease. If this does not happen, there is reason to suspect the degeneration of neoplasms into precancer.

Household way

It does not occur too often, since it requires the presence of several causative factors at once. This is a very low immunity, microtraumas and a virus that has survived in the external environment. Manifestations of the disease can occur from 2-3 weeks after infection to 2-3 years. For some people, the virus never becomes active. They find out about the infection after undergoing tests before planning a child, at the request of a partner, or for preventive purposes.

During pregnancy, women are prescribed a diagnosis for HPV with a high level of oncogenicity. This is done to prevent infection of the child from the mother during childbirth. Every second child from infected parents is considered a carrier of HPV. During household contacts, one child often transmits the pathogen to another on personal items that children share with each other.

The virus is able to survive in the external environment even in a bathhouse, sauna, swimming pool and public shower in a gym, despite the sanitization of these premises. Therefore, in such establishments you should never touch anything with exposed areas of the body. This is especially true for public toilets and toilets in them.

For HPV, autoinoculation (self-infection) is relevant. This occurs during hair removal or shaving due to accidental injury to the skin. If there are microtraumas in the mouth of one partner and neoplasms in the other, it is possible to transmit the pathogen through a kiss. But it is worth remembering that condylomas are contagious only if there are skin manifestations. In its inactive state, HPV is not transmitted through saliva and blood.

Sexual infection

The most common way to get condylomatosis is to frequently change sexual partners. The probability of transmitting a pathogen during sex exceeds 50%. This is explained by good conditions for its reproduction in the genital area:

It's always warm there;
These places are regularly moistened;
Friction occurs due to underwear, clothing and during sexual contact;
The skin and mucous membranes are often injured.

You can infect a partner with condylomatosis through any type of sexual contact: oral, anal, genital. The absence of external manifestations does not mean that sex is safe, since some types of condylomas are located internally and are not visible to the naked eye.

The location of the manifestations in most cases depends on what part of the body the healthy partner came into contact with the infected one. If the virus is transmitted during anal sex, condylomas will appear in the anus and inside the rectum. During traditional sexual intercourse, the skin and mucous membranes of the penis and vagina are affected. With oral contact, condylomas can spread to the partner’s oral mucosa.

Regardless of the route of transmission, condylomatosis requires treatment. The sooner it begins, the fewer consequences for the body the infected person will experience. Along with the fight against tumors, you should increase your immunity and protect yourself from the influence of provoking factors.

In the absence of adequate treatment, neoplasms can degenerate into precancer, and then into oncology. The tendency of a virus to transform depends on its type:

HPV type 1 causes plantar warts and is safe;
HPV types 2 and 4 provoke simple warts, the level of oncogenicity is low;
HPV types 3 and 10 cause flat warts and have a low risk of cancerous transformation;
The 16th, 18th, 31st, 33rd, 35th type of HPV provokes dysplasia of the uterine epithelium, the level of windowogenicity is high;
HPV types 6 and 11 cause condylomatosis, a low risk of cancer transformation.

Where to look on the body

Genital warts are transmitted through the mucous membranes of the genital organs, less commonly the oral cavity.

The places of their typical localization are associated with this:

On the head and crown of the penis, frenulum and inner part of the foreskin in men;
On the clitoris and in the area of its hood, external and internal labia, in the vestibule and on the walls of the vagina, urethra and urethra; on the hymen and cervix in women;
In the perineum, around the anal ring and inside the rectum in representatives of both sexes.

The location of condylomas is usually directly related to the form of transmission. But sometimes the virus spreads itself throughout the body, and outbreaks occur in non-contact areas.

There are several forms of condylomas:

Exophytic (external) – common, formations are found in places of typical localization, as well as on the conjunctiva of the eyes, in the oral cavity, on the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract and esophagus;
Endophytic (internal) - less common, has several subspecies: inverting, flat and atypical. Flat ones are located in the inner layers of the mucosal epithelium, so they are difficult to notice with the naked eye. Typical locations are the vagina, cervix. Every second flat condyloma is complicated by epithelial dysplasia of varying degrees, every twentieth is complicated by preinvasive carcinoma.

How does infection occur?

HPV can remain inactive for a long time. Therefore, you can become infected with condylomas and not know it. The virus does not manifest itself until favorable conditions for development are created.

Household way

Sexual infection

It's always warm there;
These places are regularly moistened;
Friction occurs due to underwear, clothing and during sexual contact;
The skin and mucous membranes are often injured.

Video on topic

Hello, my dear readers! In this article I want to raise the question of how condylomas are transmitted from person to person.

The answer to this question is of great importance, because, knowing the routes of transmission of the virus, you can prevent it from entering the body.

But before we begin to consider the ways of transmission of the virus, I ask you to pay attention to the book that is posted on this page.

It describes a complete course of treatment for condylomas, following which you can get rid of the disease in 2-3 months.

Condylomas acuminata are small papillomas that, when grouped, resemble cauliflower inflorescences.

In addition to the cosmetic disadvantage, they can also cause pain and itching, and with constant friction they can develop into an oncological process.

The particular danger of the virus is that it can quietly reside in the body without any clinical manifestations; when the defenses are reduced, the body develops small warty rashes.

Most often, these growths appear in the area of male and female genitalia, anus, as well as in the neck, armpits, where there is increased sweat production.

The cause of the disease is the human papillomavirus, which is transmitted primarily through sexual contact.

Microbiologists and doctors have identified and studied more than 80 strains of this virus, most of them do not pose a particular danger to the health and life of the patient, but among them there are about 30 species that cause the development of cancer of the genitourinary system in representatives of both sexes.

As mentioned above, papillomavirus can have the following transmission methods:

sexual;
domestic.

Sexual transmission is the most common. The fact is that HPV really likes to settle in places where there is constant friction, heat and moisture.

During sexual contact, the most comfortable conditions for reproduction are created for him. If a partner is a carrier of this disease and does not have pronounced clinical symptoms, this does not mean that sexual contact with him can be safe.

Even in such a situation, the virus can enter the partner’s body and manifest itself several months or even years later, with a sharp decrease in the body’s defenses.

A less common, but still existing route of HPV infection is through household contact. The fact is that sometimes the papilloma virus can be in the discharge.

If the family does not have a rule of individual hygiene items, including towels, then women and men can transmit this disease to the child through household means.

Mechanism of infection during sexual intercourse

During sexual intercourse, the partners' bodies are in close contact with each other. Moreover, the method of intimate pleasure does not matter.

The virus enters the partner’s body during microtrauma of the skin and mucous membranes. If favorable conditions are created for him there, he becomes more active and waits for an opportune moment, a decrease in immunity, to express himself.

In most cases, the first genital warts appear within 7-8 weeks, but the latent period can last up to 7-8 months.

After the first symptoms appear, you should seek help from a doctor. A dermatovenerologist treats this disease, but given the specific location of warts, a urologist, proctologist and gynecologist can help.

The main condition for successful and effective treatment is timely qualified medical care.

How to protect yourself from HPV?

The main way to protect yourself from the papilloma virus is to avoid casual sex.

If this happens, then partners should protect themselves. This is especially worth remembering for men who must ensure protected sexual intercourse. It is also necessary:

be frank with your sexual partners, ideally you need to talk about PPP diseases;
treat your chosen one honestly, and if you know that you are a virus carrier, you need to say so, because this is taking care of both your health and the health of your partner;
if all the previous advice was ignored, then at least take care of the availability of special intimate products that must be used before and after sexual intercourse. They, of course, do not guarantee 100% protection, but they significantly reduce the risk of infection.

Treatment methods for condylomas

If you find yourself with symptoms of genital condylomatosis, then the most important thing is to seek help from a doctor, and under no circumstances self-medicate.

The doctor will select the treatment for this disease individually for each patient, taking into account the type, severity and allergic history of the patient.

A new product on the global pharmaceutical market is a vaccine against the papilloma virus. The effectiveness of this drug has not yet been proven, but doctors claim that there is a therapeutic effect.

Moreover, this vaccine is an effective means of preventing cervical cancer in women, which is most often caused by an oncogenic strain of HPV.

In most cases, treatment of genital warts is carried out comprehensively:

Radical removal of overgrown epithelium using laser, radio wave, thermal or chemical destruction.
Local immunomodulatory and antiviral drugs must be applied to the site of removed warts.
To strengthen the body's immune defense, it is necessary to take preventive immunomodulators, vitamins and antiviral agents twice a year.
Equally important in treating HPV is a healthy lifestyle. And this means giving up bad habits, healthy balanced nutrition, playing sports, healthy sleep and rest for at least 8 hours a day, avoiding stress.

I would like to draw the special attention of every patient to the timely diagnosis and treatment of any ailment, including genital warts.

After all, a timely diagnosed disease is much easier to treat than a severe, advanced form.

Health must be protected from youth, because this natural gift is unique and priceless. Good health to everyone!