Im 27 years old diagnosed last november as HIV positive. Ask ko lang po kaz my tumutubo pong maliliit n warts sa pwetan ko. Maliliit n prang butil natatakot po ako kong anong tumutubo n un. cguru recently lang ano po gagawin ko? san po ba pde mgpa check up? may gamot ba yon sana mayulungan niyo ko. tnx.
TRANSLATION:
Good day Pozziepinoy.
I'm 27 years old and was diagnosed with HIV last November. I would like to ask about the appearance of small warts around my anal region. They appear to be small nodules. I am scared of what those are which appeared just recently. What should I do? Where can have them checked? Are there treatment for those? I hope you can help me. Thanks.
John.
POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE
Hi John.
Thank you for your email. Thank you for reading the blog.
I believe that those nodules developing around your anal region are anal warts. There are caused a human papillomavirus or HPV. However, I would strongly advice you to go back to your HIV and AIDS Treatment Hub and get them checked. Your doctor can one, prescribe you with a medicine or two, refer you to a dermatologist for assessment. There is treatment for anal warts either topical creams or cautery. However, they may recur and you might need to get them treated again.
For the sake of all readers, I researched about it and found this from WebMD:
Facts About HPV
HPV stands for human papillomavirus (pronounced pap ah LO mah), but there are actually more than 100 related viruses in this group. Each HPV virus is given a number or type. The term "papilloma" refers to a kind of wart that results from some HPV types.
HPV lives in the body's epithelial cells. These are flat and thin cells found on the skin's surface and also on the surface of the vagina, anus, vulva, cervix, penis head, mouth, and throat.
Of the 100 HPV types, about 60 types cause warts on areas such as the hands or feet. The other 40 or so types of HPV are sexually transmitted and are drawn to the body's mucous membranes, such as the moist layers around the anal and genital areas.
How HPV Spreads
These sexually-transmitted HPV viruses are spread through contact with infected genital skin, mucous membranes, or bodily fluids, and can be passed through intercourse and oral sex. HPV can infect skin not normally covered by a condom, so using a condom does not fully protect someone from the virus. Also, many people don't realize they're infected with HPV and may have no symptoms, so neither sexual partner may realize that the virus is being spread.
High-Risk HPV, Low-Risk HPV
Not all of the 40 sexually transmitted HPV viruses cause serious health problems. High-risk HPV strains include HPV 16 and 18, which cause about 70% of cervical cancers. Other high-risk HPV viruses include 31, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 58, and a few others.
Low-risk HPV strains, such as HPV 6 and 11, cause about 90% of genital warts, which rarely develop into cancer. Genital warts can look like bumps or growths. Sometimes they are shaped like cauliflower. The warts can show up weeks or months after exposure to an infected sexual partner.
How Common Is HPV?
About 20 million people in the U.S. are infected with HPV at any time, according to the CDC. And three-fourths of sexually active people between ages 15 and 49 have been infected at some point in their lives, according to estimates from the American Social Health Association.
You're more likely to get HPV if you:
- Have sex at an early age
- Have many sex partners
- Have a sex partner who has had multiple partners
While many people think HPV is mostly a problem for teens or young adults, HPV can infect men and women of any age. In fact, the latest statistics from the CDC found that:
- 19% of women 50 to 59 were infected with HPV virus
- 27% of women 20 to 24 were infected with HPV virus
- 45% of women 14 to 19 were infected with HPV virus
What Happens During HPV Infection
Often, there are no symptoms of an HPV infection and the body clears the infection on its own over the course of a few years. Some people never know they were infected. In fact, research has found that about 90% of women infected with HPV show no traces of the virus within two years.
When an HPV infection with high-risk types persists, it can cause abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix which could lead to cancer. Rarely, it may also cause abnormal changes in penile and anal cells.
Reducing the Risk of Getting HPV
The only way to absolutely avoid the risk of HPV infection is to abstain from sex. You can also limit the number of sexual partners you have. And you can choose partners who've had few or no sexual partners before you. However, while a long-term monogamous relationship lowers your risk, it's important to remember that many people are infected and never know it.
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
HPV can cause cervical and other cancersincluding cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. It can also cause cancer in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils (calledoropharyngeal cancer).
Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types of HPV that can cause cancers.
There is no way to know which people who have HPV will develop cancer or other health problems. People with weak immune systems (including individuals with HIV/AIDS) may be less able to fight off HPV and more likely to develop health problems from it.
How can I avoid HPV and the health problems it can cause?
You can do several things to lower your chances of getting HPV.
Get vaccinated. HPV vaccines are safe and effective. They can protect males and females against diseases (including cancers) caused by HPV when given in the recommended age groups (see “Who should get vaccinated?” below). HPV vaccines are given in three shots over six months; it is important to get all three doses.
Get screened for cervical cancer. Routine screening for women aged 21 to 65 years old can prevent cervical cancer.
If you are sexually active
- Use latex condoms the right way every time you have sex. This can lower your chances of getting HPV. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom - so condoms may not give full protection against getting HPV;
- Be in a mutually monogamous relationship – or have sex only with someone who only has sex with you.
All boys and girls ages 11 or 12 years should get vaccinated.
Catch-up vaccines are recommended for males through age 21 and for females through age 26, if they did not get vaccinated when they were younger.
The vaccine is also recommended for gay and bisexual men (or any man who has sex with a man) through age 26. It is also recommended for men and women with compromised immune systems (including people living with HIV/AIDS) through age 26, if they did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger.
How do I know if I have HPV?
There is no test to find out a person’s “HPV status.” Also, there is no approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.
There are HPV tests that can be used to screen for cervical cancer. These tests are recommended for screening only in women aged 30 years and older. They are not recommended to screen men, adolescents, or women under the age of 30 years.
If you have other concerns, please do call our Hotline Numbers below:
0919-642-9286
0977-131-2046
0906-389-2402
0917-899-0473
0927-823-0300
0917-932-3122
0916-216-2066
If you want to join a private HIV support group in Facebook, please add me, Pozzie Pinoy and request to be added in the group. We have a lot of PLHIV, counselors, HIV doctors, advocates and supporters who you can talk to.
I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.
Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy
"We act FAST when we CARE"
-Pozziepinoy-
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