Types Of The Human Papillomavirus

Human Papillomavirus or HPV is a group of viruses that infect the skin in the form of warts and create lesions in the mucous membranes of the oral, anal and genital cavities. There are over 100 different known HPV types and at least 30 of them can be sexually transmitted, thus making the Genital Human Papillomavirus the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD). The different viruses were named using numbers according to the order that they were discovered. Generally though, the Human Papillomavirus is classified into two types: low-risk and high-risk.

Low-Risk HPV

The viruses that fall under the low-risk human papilloma virus are often referred to as "wart causing." These viruses cause a person to develop warts (including genital warts), but they do not develop into cancer. A person suffering from HPV often does not experience any other symptom than warts. These warts are small, hard, and easy to see with the human eye. They can also be itchy. Depending on the type of warts, they are often located on the hands, legs, face, feet, lips of the vagina, inside the vagina or around the anus.

High-Risk HPV

Viruses that fall under this category are referred to as "cancer causing" and are more likely to develop into cancer. Cancer of the cervix is the most common kind of cancer. Other cancers resulting from this type of HPVs are vulvar cancer, vaginal and other female genital cancers, penile and other male genital cancers and anal cancer.

Different Conditions from the Different Types of HPVs

There are several conditions arising from the different types of the human papilloma virus. Plantar warts are noncancerous growth that develop on the sole, heel or ball of the foot. They grow inwards and are painful when walking or when pressure is put on them while standing. The HPV types 1, 2 and 4 are responsible for this. Common warts are cauliflower-like warts that are slightly elevated from the skin and found on the hands, feet, elbows and knees. These are caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 26, 27, 29, 41 and 57. Flat warts are smaller and smoother than the other kinds of warts. They are itchy; they grow in clusters and are often found on children's faces. HPV types 3, 10, 27, 28, 41 and 49 cause this kind of wart. Genital warts are small, bumpy clusters of highly contagious warts found in the genital area (vulva, vagina, anus, cervix, scrotum, penis, groin or thigh). They are caused by HPV types 6, 11, 30, 40-45, 51 and 54. Precancerous changes are abnormal changes in the cells of the area where they are found. If not addressed immediately, it will likely develop into cancer. HPV types 16, 18, 34, 39, 42 and 55 are liable for this condition. Laryngeal Papillomatosis is a rare disease caused by HPV types 6, 11 and 30. Rapidly growing tumors develop in the larynx, vocal cords or in the respiratory track. If unchecked, this causes difficulty in breathing.

Detection

The body's immune system generally clears the HPV infection within two years 90 percent of the time. However, there is a new test available called the Digene HPV Test that informs you of the presence of any of the 13 high-risk types of HPV that may eventually lead to cancer. It is also wise to have yourself tested for the diseases that the human papillomavirus can cause, such as a Pap smear for cervical cancer.