HEALTH MATTERS
Understanding HPV Vaccines
Health Matters is a publication of ARHP for the general public that provides a
brief overview of existing facts and data on various topics related to
reproductive health.
Most people who have sex
will get HPV sometime in their lives; however, few people will realize they
have HPV. In fact, most HPV infections go away naturally in less than two
years.
There is no treatment for
an HPV infection. HPV that does not go away on its own can cause abnormal cells
that may lead to cancer of the cervix. HPV also causes many anal cancers, as
well as some cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, head, and neck.
There are more than 100
different types of HPV. Some types can cause genital warts, and about 15 types
can cause HPV-related cancers.
HPV
types that cause genital warts are referred to as “low-risk.” HPV 6 and 11 are
two low-risk types that are responsible for about 90% of genital warts.
HPV
types that cause certain cancers are referred to as “high-risk.” Two high-risk
types, HPV 16 and 18, cause about 70% of all cervical cancers. Other high-risk
HPV types cause the other
30%.
HPV vaccines can prevent
infection by some of the most common types of HPV. Vaccines may reduce the risk
of cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers and pre-cancers, as well as
genital warts. There are two vaccines available:
1. Gardasil, approved in
2006 for use in females ages 9 through 26, protects against four types of HPV –
two high-risk types (HPV types 16 and 18) and two low-risk types (HPV types 6
and 11). In 2009, Gardasil was approved for use in males ages through 26.
Gardasil is used to prevent cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers and
pre-cancers caused by HPV 16 and 18, as well as genital warts caused by HPV 6 and 11.
2. Cervarix, approved in 2009 for use in females ages 10 through
25, protects against two high-risk types of HPV, 16 and 18. Cervarix is used to
prevent cervical cancer and pre-cancer caused by HPV 16 and 18. In 2011, the
approval for Cervarix was extended to girls as young as age 9.
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