Human Papilloma Virus or HPV

What is the Human Papilloma Virus?
There are more than 100 subtypes of the human papilloma virus, or HPV, and most women who are sexually active will have had the virus at some stage in their life.

Usually, the body's natural defences defeat the virus, and most women never even know they had it in the first place.

How does HPV Affect the Cervix?
Exposure to selected strains of HPV induces changes in some cells in the cervix. These affected cells can potentially go on to develop cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN, sometimes called dysplasia or dyskaryosis), and progress into cervical cancer.

At The Cervical Vaccine Clinic, we work towards detecting and preventing HPV. Our HPV test, smear tests and Thin Prep® tests can actually detect HPV and CIN, and any treatments are for those CIN affected abnormal cells found on the cervix before they potentially develop into cervical cancer.

Most women with CIN do not develop cancer, and a cervical smear test or Thin Prep® test can easily detect any change in the conditions of cells in the cervix. Once detected, any abnormal cells can be confirmed and treated using Colposcopy. Regular cervical screening after colposcopy can detect any further CIN development that may occur.

Which HPV Subtype Causes CIN?
Each strain or subtype of HPV is identified by a number, and it appears that only a select few, namely types 6, 11, 16, and 18, are actually responsible for the development of the majority of CIN disease. High grade CIN is caused by 16 and 18, whereas low grade CIN can be caused by subtypes 6,11,16,18.

How Is HPV Transmitted?
The HPV is usually transmitted during sexual intercourse, and therefore a woman with multiple sexual partners is statistically more likely to catch the virus.

However, since it is the strain of the virus that is important, cervical cancer can develop equally in those women with one partner or many.

How Effective is the New Cervical Cancer Vaccine Against HPV?
The new quadrivalent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, named Gardasil®, is effective against four major HPV strains or subtypes.

Three thousand women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and it is the second most common cancer type in women aged under 35. HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for 70% of these cases of cervical cancer.

HPV subtypes 6 and 11 are a common cause of genital warts. Gardasil® vaccination can reduce the occurrence of genital warts by up to an impressive 90%, and it is an effective HPV treatment for genital warts in boys, girls and women.

To book an appointment at The Cervical Vaccine Clinic to discuss the Gardasil® vaccine, please contact us