INTRODUCTION TO HPV

Definition

HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus, a virus that causes papillomas in humans and is currently the most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide.

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Classification

To date, approximately 200 types of HPV have been identified. HPV has been classified into three groups: high-risk HPV, low-risk HPV, and HPV of undetermined risk.

First, the high-risk group (High-risk HPV – Human Papillomavirus) consists of strains capable of integrating their DNA into the human genome, disrupting the host's cell division process, causing abnormal proliferation that leads to cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC (United States) have identified approximately 14 major high-risk HPV strains, including: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68, all of which can lead to cancer. Among these, types 16 and 18 carry the highest cancer risk, accounting for up to 70%. HPV 16 typically causes squamous cell carcinoma. HPV 18 is particularly associated with cervical adenocarcinoma—a less common but more difficult-to-detect form of cancer in routine Pap smear tests.

The low-risk HPV group consists of Human Papillomavirus strains capable of causing benign lesions that do not cause cancer but can cause genital warts or warts on the skin and mucous membranes. This group includes types 6, 11, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, 81, and 89. They differ from the "high-risk" group (such as HPV 16 and 18) in that they do not cause malignant cellular transformation.

The uncertain risk HPV group (uncertain risk/probable high risk) consists of HPV types for which there is currently insufficient evidence to confirm whether they cause cancer, and to what extent their effects reach. This group currently includes types 3, 7, 10, 13, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 55, 57, 62, 67, 69, 71, 74, 77, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90, and 91.

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Causes and Transmission Mechanisms

According to Dr. Vu Huu Khiem, HPV infection occurs when the virus enters the body, usually through open wounds on the skin via skin contact, mucous membranes, or personal items (towels, underwear, razors, etc.). Meanwhile, genital HPV is transmitted through sexual contact. This is the primary route of transmission. The virus can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact in the genital area, even without complete intercourse or during sexual activity (including vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, and other skin-to-skin contact in the genital area). Research in North America on a group of 15-16-year-old girls showed that 45.5% of adolescents had vaginal HPV infection; 20% of women detected the pathogen just 4 months after beginning sexual activity, and 45% of cases contracted the virus 26 months after beginning sexual activity.

 

IMPACT

Impact of HPV on Physical Health

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection can cause a series of lesions on the skin and mucous membranes. Most serious is HPV's ability to cause genital pathologies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023), up to 80% of sexually active people will contract at least one HPV strain in their lifetime. Most infections can clear on their own within 1-2 years. However, with high-risk HPV strains (especially types 16 and 18), the consequences are extremely serious. The virus can penetrate the DNA of cervical epithelial cells, causing genetic mutations and forming precancerous lesions. If not screened and treated early, these lesions can progress to cervical cancer. According to statistics, this disease has caused more than 340,000 women to die each year worldwide (WHO, 2022). Beyond the cervix, HPV is also the cause of vulvar, vaginal, anal, penile, and throat cancers, accounting for up to 5% of all cancers globally.

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Impact of HPV on Mental Health

According to a survey by the American Cancer Society (ACS, 2020), more than 60% of HPV-positive women feel ashamed, inferior, or stigmatized in romantic relationships. In cases of low-risk HPV infection causing genital warts (condyloma acuminata), patients often experience pain, itching, creating difficulties in sexual activity, thereby affecting marital relationships and quality of life. Many studies have also documented increased anxiety disorders and mild depression in women with prolonged positive HPV results. Infected individuals often worry and fear upon learning they have a sexually transmitted virus, especially women of reproductive age. Thus, HPV negatively impacts patients' psychological health.

 

Impact of HPV on Social Life

HPV creates a significant burden on the healthcare system and socioeconomic structure. Screening, testing, treating warts, cervical lesions, or cancer requires high costs and long-term monitoring. According to WHO estimates (2021), the cost of treating cervical cancer consumes more than 4.8 billion USD annually worldwide. In Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Health (2022), approximately 4,200 women die from cervical cancer each year, equivalent to 12 cases per day, while this is a disease that can be prevented through vaccination and regular screening. This shows that HPV is not only an individual problem but also a public health challenge requiring comprehensive prevention strategies.

Due to its ability to transmit through skin-to-skin contact and sexual intercourse, HPV has become one of the most common infectious diseases in the community. The lack of understanding and sex education causes many people to not proactively prevent it, leading to widespread transmission, especially among young people. Additionally, social prejudices about sexually transmitted diseases increase stigma and discrimination against patients. Instead of receiving empathy, many people are scrutinized, judged, and ridiculed when contracting this type of disease. This also prevents them from accessing healthcare services, delaying screening and treatment. In developing countries, where vaccination rates remain low, HPV remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, demonstrating the profound social impact of this seemingly "invisible" virus.