HPV analysis in men reveals papillomavirus infection in the body. The virus is common and causes serious illnesses. The most common method of transmission of papillomavirus is sexual (from a sick woman to a man).
How to get tested for HPV and what types of research are, you need to know every person living sexually. The detection of infection in the early stages will prevent the development of severe pathologies.
What is HPV?
HPV (HPV - Human Papillomavirus) is a human papillomavirus. Several dozen HPVs are known. Some practically do no harm. Others contribute to the appearance of papillomas on the skin and mucous membranes. And some can trigger the development of oncology. Only early and accurate diagnosis will reduce the risk of cancer. Therefore, it is very important to know a woman and a man what tests to take for HPV.
There are 13 types of high oncogenic risk papillomavirus. In the analysis for typing, strains 16, 18 are most often detected. The virus may not manifest itself for a long time. The latent period lasts from 14 days to several tens of years. Papillomavirus can be activated under the influence of the following factors:
- weakened immunity;
- imbalance of hormones in the body;
- stress and strain;
- chronic inflammation;
- frequent rotavirus diseases;
- overweight;
- bad habits.
The virus integrates into DNA cells and develops during the cell division process. Under the influence of the above factors, mitosis is disturbed, the virus lacks nutrition. To replenish it, he begins to actively stimulate cells to divide. Erratic mitosis is the cause of oncology.
In what cases do men need to be tested for HPV?
Typically, men visit a doctor in two cases: the appearance of painful symptoms or a mandatory preventive medical examination. It is in the course of the latter that most often there are suspicions of the presence of a virus in the body.
One of the most characteristic manifestations of infection is the appearance of small warts and papillomas. Men, as a rule, do not pay attention to them, especially if they are out of sight (on the back, back of the head). For a doctor, the presence of tumors of any type is a suspicion of oncology. And the appearance of warts in the area of the external opening of the urethra is a suspicion of the presence of HPV in the body.
Papillomavirus infection does not always cause oncology in the stronger sex. The virus lives in the male body for years without causing any inconvenience. Therefore, the question of whether men often pass an HPV test can be considered rhetorical. But an infected man is the source of the spread of the virus. And in women, it causes cervical cancer. Therefore, representatives of the stronger half should be screened for papillomavirus, even if it does not manifest itself in any way.
What tests need to be done on an HPV man to detect the virus?
In order to determine what types of studies need to be done, an examination and history taking are performed. The doctor visually determines the localization, size, shape of the neoplasm, finds out the presence of the characteristic symptomatic papillomavirus infection.
What tests to take a man for HPV if he is undergoing such an examination for the first time? There are several ways to diagnose papillomavirus. The most informative are laboratory tests (instrumental methods are optional).
- Polymer chain reaction (PCR) is one of the most accurate diagnostic methods. The method allows you to detect HPV before the onset of clinical manifestations of pathology. The biomaterial for analysis is scraping from the urethra. The biopsy procedure is unpleasant, but quick. The duration of the analysis is 2 days, and in some laboratories - several hours.
- Cytological smear. A study is mandatory if the PCR analysis yields a positive result. The analysis allows us to establish the nature of the pathology (tumor / non-tumor), to determine the nature of neoplasia (benign / malignant).
- Digene test is a screening study that identifies precancerous diseases that precede the development of oncology. Biomaterial for analysis - scraping from the urethral canal.
How to prepare for the study
PCR diagnostics are highly accurate. But a small percentage of unreliable results are still present. Inaccurate diagnosis may be affected by non-compliance with the analysis technique. But most often this is facilitated by improper preparation for the study.
How to pass a HPV test to a man so that he does not turn out to be false positive? In order to avoid false results, it is necessary to prepare for the study in advance:
- 36 hours before the collection of biomaterial is not recommended to enter into intimacy.
- If possible, cancel the use of local medicines (ointment) within 36 hours.
- 2 weeks before the test, completely abandon antibacterial drugs.
- Try not to urinate 2 hours before taking a scraping.
- On the eve to abandon the use of alcoholic beverages.
PCR method
PCR is a molecular biology method that allows amplification of the required number of DNA molecules in a test sample. Regardless of what tests are tested for HPV, PCR will always be the main one.
The method has a high sensitivity, allowing to detect even the smallest concentrations of the pathogen. PCR diagnostics make it possible not only to detect papillomavirus, but also to determine its type, as well as to find out what number of HPV is in the body at the time of the study. Knowing what percentage of the virus is in the body and its type, you can approximately determine the timing of infection. The method provides information on the nature of the course of the disease - whether it is chronic or is it a consequence of a temporary decrease in immunity.
It is recommended that men undergo PCR screening for papillomavirus infection once every 3 years, starting at the age of 25. And representatives of the stronger sex, who are at risk (smokers, often changing sexual partners, suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases, and others) should be tested annually.
Cytological smear
Cytological smear - the study of the smear imprint in order to assess the morphological changes in cellular elements. The biomaterial is stained and examined under a microscope. Pay attention to the cellular composition of tissues, especially the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell, the formation of cell complexes.
A cytological study provides reliable information about the degree of changes in the body, about the risk of malignancy. The analysis does not apply to screening, it shows how the pathological process proceeds (subject to its availability). But with absolute accuracy indicates malignancy of cells.
The duration of the analysis is 5-7 days. The results can be collected in person or printed at home - the access code is given in the laboratory upon delivery of the biomaterial. If the doctor sent for the examination, the laboratory will send the results to him.
If the man did not detect papillomavirus during PCR diagnostics and decided to remove the neoplasm, then the cytological analysis is an “admission” to surgery. Indeed, the absence of HPV does not mean at all that a person does not have oncology.
Digest test
Scientists have long been figuring out what kind of analysis to take for HPV to determine the risk of cancer before pathological changes begin. As a result, we developed a technique called the "Digest Test". The study makes it possible to determine the dangerous concentration of papillomavirus in the body of a man before the development of oncology. The analysis has several advantages:
- Using the study, 13 strains of high oncogenicity and 5 low strains can be identified.
- Shows the concentration of HPV.
- Differs in high accuracy.
- Taking biomaterial is a painless and quick procedure.
The disadvantages include a long analysis time (up to 14 days) and the fact that not all laboratories conduct this examination.
Identification of one of the strains of papillomavirus is not a diagnosis of oncology. To confirm the disease, a man must undergo a deeper examination and pass a number of specific tests (onomarkers). A negative result also does not guarantee the absence of HPV in the body.
Biomaterial fence
An examination for papillomavirus can be done on your own or take a referral from a doctor. If the second method is chosen, then after the examination the urologist will tell the man in detail how to pass an HPV test: about its essence, preparation and the process itself. In the last paragraph, the doctor explains that the procedure is painless and short.
Analysis is best taken in the morning. Scraping is taken with a soft brush-brush, but in some laboratories (very rare) they use a Volkman spoon for these purposes. The choice of tool does not affect the accuracy of the result. The brush is introduced into the channel and carefully removed by rotational movements. The taken sample is placed in a special sterile flask, packed and given a unique number by which you can track the results of the analyzes through the online laboratory service.
Decryption of HPV tests
Decryption of the results is done by a specialist. Based on them, he determines further actions. If the doctor considers that the results are unreliable, he will propose to take an HPV test again.
Certain values do not need to be clarified, but in any case, the results must be shown to the doctor. Decoding:
- PCR shows whether a virus is detected and not.
- Digene test. If there is a “DNA not detected” entry, the virus is missing. If ≤ 3 Lg - the concentration is negligible, 3-5 Lg - the clinically significant result, ≥ 5 Lg - high concentration.
- The results of the analysis of the histological examination are indicated in the form of a digital code, where 1 means the absence of affected cells, 2 - a small number of pathologically changed cells were found, 3 - the result is doubtful, additional tests are required, 4 and 5 - a significant number of pathological cells are found.
False positive result
Sometimes it happens that, even knowing how to get tested for HPV, a man goes through the procedure again due to improper preparation. This is the main reason the doctor doubts the reliability of the results. But there are other factors, among which:
- Violation of the technique of sampling biomaterial.
- Incorrect storage and transportation of the test material.
- Violation of the analysis process.
- The data are mixed up when entering them in the results form.
Where can I get tested and how much does it cost
Studies on papillomavirus are not included in the list of free medical services. The venue must be sought independently. The simplest thing is to go to a large diagnostic center where in most cases there is a laboratory where a man can be tested for HPV without problems. For example, in Moscow you can contact MedCenterService (36 Garibaldi St.), Prima Medica (Electrolyte Drive, on the territory of the KANT ski resort), Zdorovie (Moscow Region, Lobnya, 23 Lenina Street, cor . 1) and many others.
A laboratory or medical center should have a good reputation and reasonable prices. The latter depend on the region and the "popularity" of the laboratory. The average cost, for example, of analysis in Moscow is about 400 rubles, in St. Petersburg - 380 rubles, in Krasnodar - 270 rubles.