The most common STI in the world - Emma Bryce

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

At some point,

遲早有一天

most sexually active people will be infected with human papillomavirus,

大多數性活躍的人 會感染人類乳突病毒

or ‘HPV.’

又稱 HPV

There are over 100 types of HPV,

目前有超過一百種 HPV

and most of the time the body eliminates infections without symptoms–

通常身體會消滅感染 而且不會出現任何臨床症狀

but some strains can pose serious health risks down the line.

但是某些毒株會進一步 對健康造成嚴重威脅

HPV causes contact infections,

HPV 會引起接觸感染

which means the virus stays in the cells near the point of infection

亦即病毒會待在感染處附近的細胞內

rather than spreading throughout the whole body.

而不是散播至全身

Since HPV is often transmitted through sexual activity,

因為 HPV 通常經由性行為傳染

this usually means the cells of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus,

這通常是指陰道、外陰、陰莖、肛門

mouth and throat.

口腔及喉嚨細胞

We can test for HPV in cells from these areas,

我們可以從這些地方的細胞檢驗 HPV

but while testing for the virus is scientifically possible,

但是即使可以用科學方法 檢驗到這種病毒

it isn’t common.

通常也不這麼做

The main reason is that,

主要的原因是

while there are treatments for the adverse health effects caused by HPV,

雖然有方法能治療 HPV 對健康引起的不良影響

there’s no treatment for the virus itself.

卻沒有方法能治療病毒本身

So testing for HPV would yield many, many positives,

所以做 HPV 檢驗可能會產生 非常非常多的陽性反應

and although most of them won’t be cause for concern,

雖然大多數不會造成問題

there is still no treatment plan for clearing the body of the virus.

仍然沒有治療計畫能清除病毒

But there are other good ways to protect yourself from HPV.

但是還是有其它方法 保護自己免受 HPV 傷害

We’re going to walk through how HPV can cause harm,

我們就來談談 HPV 如何造成傷害

who’s at risk, and how to minimize those risks.

誰有風險及如何降低風險

The body’s immune system is able to eradicate most strains of HPV

身體的免疫系統 可以消滅大多數種 HPV 毒株

before they cause any harm—

不讓它們引起傷害

and without people even knowing they’ve been infected.

有些人甚至不知道他們已經被感染了

Certain other strains–

某些特定毒株

like HPV 6 and 11–

如 HPV 6 及 HPV 11

cause abnormalities in the cells of the infected tissue,

會造成受感染組織的細胞異常

which can develop into genital warts.

可能發展成性器疣

While these are infectious and require treatment,

這些疣具傳染性並需要治療

usually with topical creams,

通常是用外用藥膏

wart-causing strains don’t create longer-term damage.

會造成疣的毒株不會產生長期危害

But another 13 strains can cause DNA mutations that cause cells to divide

但是另外有十三種毒株 會造成 DNA 突變

使細胞分裂的速度比正常更快

at a much faster pace than normal,

propelling the development of cancerous growths.

助長癌細胞生長

The cells of the cervix are especially at risks.

子宮頸細胞的風險特別大

Two in particular–

特別有兩種毒株

HPV 16 and 18–

HPV 16 及 HPV 18

are responsible for the majority of cases of cervical cancer,

為造成大多數子宮頸癌的主因

which is now the fourth most common type of cancer in women.

這是現今第四大的婦女癌症

It can take up to 20 years for cancer symptoms to appear,

癌症可能要長達 20 年 才會出現症狀

but with regular screening,

如果定期檢查

we can discover cellular abnormalities in the cervix

我們可以發現子宮頸細胞異常

before they develop into cancer.

在它們發展成癌症前就看出來

Women over 21 can undergo a regular pap smear,

21 歲以上的婦女 可以定期做子宮頸抹片檢查

where a sample of tissue is gently scraped from the lining of the cervix

即在子宮頸內膜輕輕刮下組織檢體

to test for abnormal cells.

檢查是否有變異細胞

A positive test doesn’t mean the person has cervical cancer,

陽性結果並不代表這個人有子宮頸癌

but rather that there are irregular cells in the cervix

而是子宮頸有不正常的細胞

that could develop into cancer in the future.

可能在未來發展成癌症

Patients are then either monitored with more frequent pap smears,

之後病患可能要 更常做抹片檢查以監測變異

or, for more severe irregularities,

如果變異情況較嚴重

undergo a procedure called a colposcopy.

就會做陰道鏡檢查

This involves a doctor examining the cervix through a microscope,

這需要醫師用顯微鏡做子宮頸檢查

and possibly taking a small biopsy of tissue for closer examination.

並有可能取組織切片以更仔細檢查

In some cases, the affected tissue may be removed.

在某些情況下 受影響的組織可能會被切除

HPV infections of the throat may lead to head and neck cancers,

喉嚨感染 HPV 可能會導致頭頸癌

but for now there’s no equivalent of the pap smear for the throat.

但是目前沒有相應的喉嚨抹片檢查

Using condoms helps prevent the spread of HPV during sex.

使用保險套可以幫助避免 在性交時傳播 HPV

And there are three safe, effective vaccines that all target HPV 16 and 18.

目前有三種安全有效的疫苗 專門針對 HPV 16 及 HPV 18

The vaccine comes in two or three doses a few months apart,

這個疫苗分二至三劑施打 每次相隔幾個月

and it’s only beneficial if you receive them all.

要全部打完才有用

Right now the vaccine is part of standard care for girls aged 11 to 18

目前這種疫苗

在許多國家是 11 至 18 歲女孩 健保計畫的一部分

in many countries–

though it’s increasingly becoming available to boys as well.

也有愈來愈多的男孩接種

Adult women and men in countries including the United States and the United Kingdom

在美國及英國等許多國家的 成年女性及男性

can opt to receive the vaccine,

也可以選擇接種疫苗

and evidence suggests that vaccination of women and men

證據顯示女性及男性接種疫苗

could reduce the worldwide incidence of cervical cancer by almost 90%.

可以在全世界減少 幾乎 90% 的子宮頸癌

Researchers are also developing an injection

研究人員也發展出注射針劑

for people who are already infected with HPV 16 and 18,

給已經感染了 HPV 16 及 18 的人

which would target the infected cells

它會標靶受感染的細胞

to stop them from developing into cancerous ones.

不讓它們發展成癌細胞

So while there’s still room for improvement in screening,

所以即使篩檢、治療及接種計畫 都還有進步的空間

treatment, and access to each,

condom use, vaccination, and cervical screening

使用保險套、接種疫苗及子宮頸篩檢

can each reduce the harm caused by HPV.

都可以減低 HPV 造成的傷害