HPV and HPV Vaccine Facts

What is HPV?

HPV, human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and can cause abnormal Pap test results, genital warts, and cervical cancer.
More than 20 million people in the U.S. are infected with HPV, and about 6.2 million more get infected each year.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that more than one in four females between the ages of 14 and 59 have HPV – and nearly 45 percent of women between the ages of 20 and 24 are infected.
Seventy-four percent of new HPV infections occur among 15-24 year-olds.
The American Cancer Society recently reported that in 2007 an estimated 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed and 3,700 women will die from it.
While not as common in the U.S., it’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world.

About the Vaccine

The vaccine has been tested in over 11,000 females (9-26 years of age) in many countries around the world, including the U.S.
The HPV vaccine contains inactivated and noninfectious viral proteins that protect against four major types of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18) that are responsible for 90 percent of genital warts and 70 percent of cervical cancers.
The vaccine is given as a three-dose series with the second dose given two months after dose one and the third dose given six months after dose one. It is important that this timeline is kept in order for the vaccine to be optimally effective.

Side Effects

The vaccine causes no serious side effects. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site which is common but mild. Mild or moderate fever has also been reported.

Cost

In a recent American College Health Association (ACHA) survey about the HPV vaccine on campus, the mean and the median current cost of the vaccine per dose was approximately $134.
WCU offers the shot at $140.00 per shot in the series totaling $420.00 for the series

Who Should Get the HPV Vaccine?

The vaccine is safe and effective for females nine-26 years old, regardless of whether they have been sexually active or not.
The vaccine is most effective if received before the initiation of sexual activity. However, females who are sexually active also may benefit from the vaccine.
Women who already have been infected with one or more HPV type would still get protection from the vaccine types they have not acquired.
This “Catch-Up Vaccination” is strongly recommended to help protect against the types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

Who Should Not Get the HPV Vaccine?

Women who have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to yeast, to any other component of the HPV vaccine, or to a previous dose of HPV vaccine should not start or continue the vaccine series.
Pregnant women should not get the vaccine since the effects of the vaccine during pregnancy are still being studied. Any exposure to vaccine in pregnancy should be reported to the vaccine pregnancy registry at 1-800-986-8999. People with moderate or severe acute illnesses should also defer their vaccine until after the illness improves.

Should Men Get the HPV Vaccine?

Efficacy studies in males are ongoing. In the meantime, males should encourage their female partners to consider vaccination and remain attentive to licensure of the vaccine for males, at which time they should consider getting vaccinated to lower their risk of transmitting HPV to their partners.

Be Smarter. Get Vaccinated. You could be “ONE LESS!!!!!!!”

Since a significant proportion of sexually active men and women can become infected with HPV at some time in their lives HPV is something they should be aware of for the future.

Offering the facts about HPV and the HPV vaccine can help protect your female students against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer and genital warts. Encourage them to “Be Smarter and Get Vaccinated.”