How long does the HPV virus survive in the environment?

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Dangerous diseases such as cervical cancer, penile cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, genital warts, genital warts... are all caused by HPV virus. So how long does the HPV virus survive in the environment?

1. What is HPV virus?

To know how long the HPV virus survives in the environment, it is first necessary to understand this virus. HPV (scientific name: Human Papilloma Virus) is a virus that can be transmitted through sexual contact and through casual contact. They can be transmitted through any form of sexual contact, including oral or anal sex.
In particular, this virus has a very high ability to infect people who have sex with many sexual partners. The HPV virus is the main cause of cervical cancer in women and many other dangerous diseases.

There are more than 100 strains of HPV virus and most of them are not harmful to human health. In fact, almost anyone can be infected with HPV at least once in their life, but it usually goes away on its own or has no health effects.
HPV virus is very small, even many times smaller than human epithelial cells. They usually exist on cells of the mucosa, semi-mucosa, male and female genital organs, eyes, mouth, anus...
In which, there are more than 40 strains of HPV virus that are sexually transmitted, causing diseases of the genital and anal organs. In particular, HPV types 16 and 18 are thought to be the main cause of precancerous lesions of the uterus, anus and other parts of the genital organs.

2. How long does the HPV virus survive in the environment?

Many people wonder how long the HPV virus survives in the environment after being separated from the human body? Understanding this issue will help you have the most effective and thorough way to prevent disease.
Specifically, the HPV virus is very stubborn and can survive for a long time in the natural environment. In addition, depending on the specific environment, the life time of this virus also varies.

2.1. How long does the HPV virus survive in the air? The human body is an ideal living environment for the HPV virus, helping them to multiply and develop rapidly. Therefore, this is considered immortal for this dangerous virus
HPV virus must have a host to parasitize and absorb nutrients, so it will not be able to live for too long in the environment. Therefore, otherwise the HPV virus host can only survive for a very short time in the environment.
2.2. How long does the HPV virus survive outside the body? Depending on the specific humidity and temperature conditions, how long the HPV virus lasts will vary. Once out of the human body, the HPV virus cannot live too long. However, if exposed to the human body, they can attack and break out quickly after an incubation period. Under such conditions, the HPV virus can survive for about a day or even a week.
Many people do not understand how long the HPV virus stays in the environment, so it is easy to be subjective and disregard. That can make it easy for you to catch the disease without knowing it.
2.3. How long does the HPV virus survive outside of a hospital setting? Actual studies have shown that the HPV virus has the ability to survive on biopsy forceps, surgical gloves... However, if it is put into environments with many chemicals such as soap, alcohol, alcohol, disinfectant...they will die instantly.
It is difficult to determine exactly how long the genital warts virus lives after being released into the natural environment? In fact, no environment is completely safe. Because, the HPV virus can resurrect and explode if it encounters a favorable environment. Therefore, people should be careful when coming into direct contact with open wounds or sharing personal items with others.

3. In which environment can the HPV virus not live?

The most favorable conditions for the HPV virus to develop are near the outer layer of the skin and between 30 - 40 degrees Celsius. This is also the reason why the HPV virus is so contagious through casual contact.
If it leaves the host body, the HPV virus will die if the outside temperature exceeds 60 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the winter or summer environmental temperature is not enough to kill this virus. If the temperature drops too low, the HPV virus will temporarily stop working, hide, and flare up again when conditions are favorable.

4. How to prevent HPV virus

Vaccination is the best way to prevent and reduce the risk of HPV. This is a very safe and effective vaccine. All men 9-21 years old and women 9-26 years old should get the HPV vaccine. It is best to get vaccinated before starting sex to prevent the disease most effectively.

In addition, you can prevent HPV by the following ways:
Using a condom during sex reduces the risk of contracting HPV. However, this method is not thorough because the HPV virus can still infect areas of the skin that are not covered by condoms. Faithful, monogamous sex, limiting the number of sexual partners to a minimum. Regular health check-ups and cervical cancer screening help you reduce your risk of disease as well as detect potential risks early. Build a healthy lifestyle, eat a healthy, nutritious diet. Exercise regularly every day to strengthen resistance and eliminate HPV virus from the body. Although the vaccine protects against HPV infection, it is not a cure for people who already have the disease. Therefore, even after being vaccinated, women still need to be screened for cervical cancer periodically according to their age and health history. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has been effectively implementing a gynecological cancer screening package to help customers be examined, perform tests to check their health and prevent timely disease detection.

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