Human Papilloma Virus Amy Baker

Disease Facts sexually transmitted disease affecting 80% of Americans Often will show no symptoms The virus is responsible for cervical cancer in women Cervical cancer is the third most common cause of cancer overall and the leading cause of cancer related deaths in women

How to detect HPV? A pap smear can be used as an effective test for HPV in women virus typing is done when an abnormal pap is detected to determine which of the 40 types of HPV is present HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31, HPV-35, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-51, HPV-52, and HPV-58 are the “high risk” or precancerous strains

The Vaccine and this vaccine protects against 4 of the most prevalent serotypes: HPV 16 and 18, and HPV 6 and 11 two strains of HPV protected against are implicated in over 70% of cervical cancers

The Vaccine second two types are implicated in 90% of all genital warts vaccine is suggested for girls between the ages of 9 and 26 administered as 3 injections over 6 months most effective when given before a woman becomes sexually active current price of the vaccine is $120 for each injection

Requiring the Vaccine school aged children are required to obtain numerous vaccines: Diptheria, Pertussis, Influenza, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, and Polio Gardasil, a 75% effective vaccine, when administered to approximately 2 million adolescent girls could prevent 224,000 HPV infections Pockets of unvaccinated populations could harbor the disease and prevent eradication

Opposition to Requiring the Vaccine The main opposition to the vaccine was by religious and conservative groups Some felt this gave young women “the license to engage in premarital sex”National Cervical Cancer Coalition Some “wished for fornicators to be punished with STDs and even cancer” New scientist

Conclusion Cervical cancer causes approximately one percent of all cancer deaths in America Human papilloma virus is indicated in 70% of the cervical cancers detected each year This vaccine could possibly eradicate a cancer causing virus and diminish overall health care cost Should ideology and a sense of personal virtue stand in the way of protecting children from a possible fatal disease later in life?