The Importance Of HPV Vaccination

HPV is transmitted very easily and infects millions of Americans per year. Because of the prevalence of detected and undetected HPV among individuals, HPV vaccines have been developed. If you’re curious about HPV vaccination and want to know how the HPV vaccine is used, read through this article. If you suspect having acquired HPV, your doctor can determine the virus oftentimes by direct visual examination. Even if you don’t find any symptoms of HPV, it is still a good idea to get a proper diagnosis and have yourself vaccinated if you are sexually active. HPV symptoms sometimes cannot be seen by the naked eye, and only a healthcare specialist can identify them. During diagnosis, your doctor may apply acetic acid to possibly infected areas, use a magnifying instrument, or conduct a biopsy. A pap smear can also reveal HPV infection.

What Does The HPV Vaccine Do?

The HPV vaccine helps prevent certain sexually transmitted strains of human papilloma virus, which is linked with the onset of genital warts and cervical cancer. Vaccines are widely available but are more preventative than therapeutic. However, there are therapeutic HPV vaccines that are being developed today in hopes to eliminate established tumors associated with cervical cancer.

Presently, vaccines are being developed to prevent HPV types 16 and 18, which are considered to be the cause of or associated with cervical cancer in more than half of HPV cases. Other vaccines have also been developed to prevent HPV types 6 and 11, which are responsible for genital warts.

Who Benefits From the HPV Vaccine?

Oftentimes it is those who are not yet sexually active who benefit most from HPV vaccination. Furthermore, those who have not yet been infected with any of all four types of HPV can also benefit most from vaccination. It is recommended that females as young as 9 should have the vaccination as they are not yet sexually active. Older girls or women who are sexually active may not have the same benefits, as their risk for already having HPV is much higher. However, if less than two types of HPV were acquired, a vaccine for the other types of HPV can be beneficial.

Females aged 9 to 26 are always recommended to take the HPV vaccine. However, it is not recommended for women older than 26 years as the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness in these women are not yet being sufficiently studied today.

There is a chance that males can benefit from the vaccine, although it is not yet clear. It is said that taking the HPV vaccine can possibly prevent genital warts and some cancers such as anal and penile cancer. Studies are still continuing to find out whether the HPV vaccine works in these areas among males.

Are There Any Side Effects Caused By The Vaccine?

Like with most medications, the HPV vaccine can have side effects. The good news is, most people who take the HPV vaccine do not have any complaints about side effects, and when they are present, they are often very mild and do not necessarily require treatment.

It has been found that the major cause of cervical cancer is HPV. Cervical cancer is responsible for thousands of deaths in women each year. Thus, it is important to know that the disease is highly preventable especially with HPV vaccination.