Papillomavirus (HPV) comes in different forms, some more aggressive and others more moderate. The new 9-valent vaccine offers very high protection, of 97 per cent, against as many as nine types of HPV (6-11-16-18-31-33-45-52-58), seven of which are responsible for precancerous lesions and two — types 16 and 18 — which are particularly feared and aggressive. Boys are also set to be enrolled in the vaccination campaign, with the prospect of reducing precancerous papillomavirus lesions in both sexes by between 50 and 80 per cent.

Both males and females

HPV infections affect males and females alike and can involve the genitals (uterus, vagina, anus, penis and testicles) but also the mouth and throat in the case of transmission through oral sex. Most people who encounter papillomavirus manage to fight it off with their immune defences — 80 per cent of infections are in fact transient — but vaccination is undoubtedly an additional preventive tool.

When to get vaccinated

The vaccine is most useful before exposure to the virus and offers more limited benefit if administered after infection has already occurred. For this reason it is important for vaccination to target young adolescents who have not yet begun sexual activity. Furthermore, immunological response capacity is better during adolescence, and the benefit is therefore at its greatest. The vaccine has nevertheless been shown to be effective in young people up to 26 years of age.

Protection from HPV: the condom

It is not easy to protect oneself completely from HPV, but the first rule is always to use a condom during casual encounters and until the relationship is established or there is a mutual commitment to fidelity. The motto "better safe than sorry" therefore applies, especially if the couple has only recently got together. Papillomavirus is often an asymptomatic virus, and a partner may be entirely in good faith when declaring themselves healthy, but this does not mean they do not already carry the virus.

Diagnosis and treatment

The pap smear is recommended for all women who have begun sexual activity and is extremely important for detecting the presence of the virus. Further tests can be carried out by searching for the virus's DNA, which helps to determine whether infection has occurred with an aggressive strain or a low-intensity viral strain. The examination is completed by performing colposcopy in women and peniscopy in men: these are examinations carried out using an instrument similar to a microscope that looks for viral lesions in the genital area. These lesions may resemble warts (condylomata) or abrasions on the female cervix. These abrasions can be definitively treated with laser vaporisation in both men and women.

Echinacea for immune shielding

Viruses exploit our immune defences, so if we are strong and in good health we can fight them off more easily, but if we weaken, the virus could gain the upper hand and give rise to relapses. Indeed, many studies have shown that the majority of men and women come into contact with the virus: only a small percentage actually fall ill, precisely because their immune status is weak or because they are unfortunately exposed to a highly aggressive viral form.

A natural shield of definite benefit is echinacea, a flower with a proven antiviral action available in tablet form to be taken from the time of diagnosis until full recovery.