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Community Corner

Understanding The Human Papilloma Virus

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has recently gained attention by not only being the most common sexually transmitted virus in the US (CDC, 2011) but by becoming a political football being kicked around during presidential nominee debates.

Anyone with a teenage daughter will recognize the 3 distinctive letter combination 'HPV' followed by the question, “Do you want the vaccine?” Most parents are not adequately educated in the nuances of the Human Papilloma Virus. The fact is the literature provided by the health care provider will be a blur since the thought of your child becoming sexually active has probably left you dumb-founded. Here is some important information to guide your steps in the decision process.

Facts about HPV are provided by the CDC and Prevention:

1. Twenty million Americans have HPV.

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2. Six million Americans become infected every year.

3. One in four 15 to 24-year-olds is infected

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4. Nearly half of the 19 million new cases of STD’s each year occur in people aged 15-24.

5. US high schools surveyed found 14 percent of teens had sex with 4 or more partners in their young lives.

6. HPV is associated with genital warts and cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus and throat.

7. There are many different strains of HPV and about eight strains account for 90 percent of all cervical cancers. HPV strains 16, 18 and 45 cause 94 percent of cervical adenocarcinomas and 75 percent of squamos cell carcinomas. Squamos cell is the most common form of cancer with HPV.

8. Ninety percent of all genital warts are related to types 6 and 11.

9. Types 16, 18 and 45 tend to occur at younger ages.

The fact is that 50 percent of all sexually active people will have genital warts at some point in their lives. Within two years of this infection, 90 percent of these infected individual will have cleared the virus. This leaves the 10 percent at risk for the previous myriad of health problems. One can also get multiple strains and there is no way to detect which people will progress to cancers. People can even be infected years after they were first exposed to the virus.

The good news is that there are things one can do to avoid infection, which are the following:

1. Avoid sexual contact. This is the only 100 percent effective way to avoid the virus.

2. Using condoms decreases the rate of infections but it is not full proof.

3. Monogamy may work but some people may become infected years before symptoms develop and inadvertently expose their partner to this virus.

4. Immunization for both girls and boys. HPV can affect heterosexual and homosexual people. HPV does not discriminate.

The FDA has approved HPV vaccines that specifically identify and protect against strains 6, 11, 16, and 18. The minimum age for vaccination is 9 years of age in both genders and best efficacy is noted in children 11-12 years of age (MMWR 2011: 60(5). The quadravalent (HPV4) vaccine protects against cancers and warts, while the bivalent (HPV2) vaccine does not cover warts. Three injections are needed. The second injection is given 1-2 months after the first dose. The third injection is given 6 months after the initial dose. The cost for the vaccine is about $360 but check with your insurance and health care provider.

There is no treatment for the virus, but there are treatments for the diseases caused by HPV. Prevention is the best medicine. Stay well.

To find out more about updated recommendations for the vaccine visit the CDC website

 

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