Overview Of HPV DNA Testing
HPV is the standard abbreviation used for Human Papillomavirus. HPV DNA testing is the testing for the presence of genetic material or the DNA (or deoxyribonucleic acid) of this virus.
Human Papillomavirus is a highly prevalent virus which commonly causes sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Depending on the strain of the virus causing the infection, the disease may manifest in the form of genital or venereal warts or at times may not have any symptoms or obvious signs. Apparently, most people with an HPV infection are unaware of the fact.
Though sometimes HPV may not present itself in the form of a problematic infection, the presence of HPV in your bodies poses a risk of developing cancer. The risk may be regarded as high or low depending on the virus strain present.
Pap smear is the commonest screening tool used to detect cervical cancer. In recent times it has been found that the possibility of cervical cancer being detected by a cervical smear is strengthened by doing an HPV DNA test on the sample. Because HPV has been found to be associated with anal cancers, some doctors have recommended doing an HPV DNA test on anal smears to detect anal cancer. A DNA test is often done on human cells to analyze the DNA of humans. Depending on the need for the test, it may be done in babies, children or adults. In other words, there is no age bar for a DNA test. Should there be a need, it can even be done before the birth of your child. Most often, a DNA test is heard of being done to identify someone. However, it can be done to detect genetic diseases, biological relationships, ancestry and genealogy. An HPV DNA test is perhaps only slightly different in the sense that in this test, human cells are analyzed to detect the presence of viral DNA; more specifically, the DNA of HPV. Just like human DNA, the DNA of HPV is also a double stranded structure. The HPV DNA is located inside the HPV cells. In an HPV infection the HPV invades otherwise healthy human cells to make them infested with the virus. The infestation involves lodging the virus cells along with its DNA inside the human cells. In an HPV DNA test the human cells are carefully analyzed to detect the presence of virus laden cells. The detection of virus DNA inside the human cells is a sure sign of infection with the virus. The cost of this test is reasonable and you can get it done staring from $ 90 in the US. Early detection of an HPV infection will enable the sufferer to take appropriate precautionary measures to prevent any further damage or even cancerous changes. Hence HPV DNA testing is so important in the susceptible age group of people.
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