How to detect HPV virus in men

Generally, the HPV virus targets women. Long-term infection is related to female cervical cancer. The transmission route can be through sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission, medical transmission, etc. Men may also be infected with the HPV virus. After infection, light red papules will appear on the glans penis, urethral opening and other parts of the male, which will gradually develop into genital warts. There are mainly the following methods for HPV testing for men.

1. Pathological examination

The main features are parakeratosis, hypertrophy of the spinous layer, papilloma-like hyperplasia, thickening and elongation of the epidermal processes, and the degree of hyperplasia may resemble pseudoepithelioma. There are a considerable number of nuclear divisions in the thorn cells and basal cells, which is quite similar to cancer. However, the cells are arranged regularly, and the boundary between the hyperplastic epithelium and dermis is clear.

2. Immunohistological examination

The peroxidase antiperoxidase method is commonly used to show the viral protein in the warts to prove that there are viral antigens in the wart lesions. When the condyloma acuminatum protein is positive, a weak positive reaction of light red may appear in the superficial epithelial cells of the condyloma acuminatum.

3. Histochemical Examination

Take a small amount of lesion tissue to make a smear, and stain it with specific anti-human papillomavirus antibodies. If there are viral antigens in the lesions, the antigen and antibody will bind. In the peroxidase antiperoxidase method, the nucleus can be stained red. This method is highly specific and rapid, which is helpful for diagnosis.

4. Acetic acid white test

Apply 3-5% acetic acid to the wart for 2-5 minutes. The lesion will turn white and slightly raised. Anal lesions may take 15 minutes. The acetic acid white test is very sensitive for detecting condylar warts. It is better than conventional tests for observing histological changes. However, false positives may occur occasionally in cases of epithelial thickening or traumatic abrasions. The false positive whitening signs appear unclear and irregular. The US CDC reminds that the acetic acid white test is not a specific test and false positives are common.

There are generally several ways to test for HPV as introduced above. These methods are actually very common and we need to understand them clearly. If a man is confirmed to be infected with HPV, we need to take it seriously so that we can get better treatment. We need to understand them clearly.