Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
There are over 100 different types of human papilloma virus (HPV). About 30 types of HPV are sexually transmitted. Most types of HPV are asymptomatic and will go away with time. A few forms of the virus, however, are known to cause genital warts, along with cervical cancer- and less commonly, genital and anal cancers. A new vaccine is available for women to protect against four types of HPV. One protects against HPV-16, which is present in half of all cases of invasive cervical cancer, and the other three strains in the vaccine protects against are HPV types 6, 11, and 18. The vaccine, Gardasil, was licensed in 2006 and is designed especially for female teen who have not yet engaged in sexual activity, since these are the people who will reap the most benefits from the vaccination.
Females aged nine to twenty-six years old are encouraged to receive the vaccine. If a woman has had one or more of the types of HPV, the vaccine will still provide her with immunization against the others. Although the HPV vaccine is a giant step towards reducing the number of cases of cervical cancer and genital warts, it is not one hundred percent effective in preventing them from occurring. The vaccine cannot protect against thirty percent of cervical cancers and ten percent of genital warts. It is also not certain how long vaccinated women will be protected from the specific HPV strains. That is why it is highly recommended that a woman continues with her regular Pap tests following the vaccination to ensure her good health.
The vaccine has been tested on 11,000 women around the world. No serious side effects have been reported. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site, and other side effects include fever, nausea, dizziness and vomiting. A woman needs to receive three shots over a six-month period, with the second shot coming after two months, and the third after six months. The cost of the vaccine is about $120 per dose, or $360 for the full series. The cost is covered by Federal health programs and by many large insurance companies.
There is no HPV vaccine presently available for men. Merck, the maker of Gardisil, is now running tests on young men ages sixteen to twenty-six. It is anticipated the male vaccine may protect against HPV induced diseases such as penile warts and oral cancers, along with penile cancer, which is a rare disease. Other social factors are being considered for males as well, including whether the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the costs.
At the present time, the vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women, since not enough research has been done in this area. The vaccine does not cure existing HPV infections, genital warts, precancers or cancers. As was mentioned before, it is not known how long the immunity will last, but the women who participated in the study and were vaccinated five years ago are still protected. A booster may be needed many years after initially receiving the injection.
Check out this article about the HPV Vaccine.
If you're interested about possible male vaccination, take a look at this recent article as well: 'HPV Vaccine for Men?'
Sources
For more information on HPV diagnosis, treatment, prevention and lifestyle tips, visit The National Women's Health Resource Center.
For more information on the HPV vaccination, visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To learn more about the vaccine, visit the Gardisil website. (http://www.gardasil.com/)