Young Females Be Aware - HPV Can Cause Cervical Cancer
HPV can cause cervical cancer and other conditions.
While abstinence offers total protection, the risks are reduced by safe sex and vaccination.
Young females traveling abroad should discuss the human papillomavirus vaccine with their doctor.
What is HPV? Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD).
The majority of sexually active individuals in the United States will become infected.
The CDC estimates that over 6 million Americans contract this disease yearly.
There are over 100 strains of HPV, but most of these are harmless.
How is HPV transmitted? Human papillomavirus is transmitted by genital contact, not necessarily through sexual intercourse.
Both men and women can become silently infected and unknowingly transmit the disease to others.
What are the symptoms? HPV can cause anal and genital warts, pre-cancerous cervical changes and cervical cancer.
In rare situations this disease can progress to cancers of the vagina and anus.
Most infected patients, however, have no symptoms at all.
How is HPV diagnosed? There is a diagnostic test available to determine if this infection is present.
It can detect many, but not all strains of this disease.
Testing is not advised in men as it is not felt to be medically necessary.
Is treatment available? There is no specific medical treatment against the virus, but a person's natural immunity often clears the infection.
If HPV induces changes to the cervix, then there are treatment options available to reduce the risk of progressing to cervical cancer.
Genital warts can be treated also.
Can HPV be prevented? Definitely! Sexually abstinent individuals will be completely protected.
Sexually active people should avoid partners who have had multiple prior sexual contacts, although this can be difficult to determine.
Monogamous relationships have lower risk of contracting all STDs including human papillomavirus.
Condoms may provide partial protection against this disease, but this is not a failsafe method.
In addition, there is a highly effective vaccine available against 4 important strains of HPV.
It is approved for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26.
There is no available vaccine for males at this time.
Since vaccination does not protect women against all of the diseases strains, it is still important to undergo regular PAP smears.
Do international travelers need to be vaccinated? International travelers should be up to date on all routine vaccinations, in addition to any recommended or required travel vaccines.
The CDC advises that the human papillomavirus vaccination be considered for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26.
Females in this age group who will be traveling abroad should be up to date on all routine immunizations and should discuss the HPV vaccine with their physicians.
While abstinence offers total protection, the risks are reduced by safe sex and vaccination.
Young females traveling abroad should discuss the human papillomavirus vaccine with their doctor.
What is HPV? Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD).
The majority of sexually active individuals in the United States will become infected.
The CDC estimates that over 6 million Americans contract this disease yearly.
There are over 100 strains of HPV, but most of these are harmless.
How is HPV transmitted? Human papillomavirus is transmitted by genital contact, not necessarily through sexual intercourse.
Both men and women can become silently infected and unknowingly transmit the disease to others.
What are the symptoms? HPV can cause anal and genital warts, pre-cancerous cervical changes and cervical cancer.
In rare situations this disease can progress to cancers of the vagina and anus.
Most infected patients, however, have no symptoms at all.
How is HPV diagnosed? There is a diagnostic test available to determine if this infection is present.
It can detect many, but not all strains of this disease.
Testing is not advised in men as it is not felt to be medically necessary.
Is treatment available? There is no specific medical treatment against the virus, but a person's natural immunity often clears the infection.
If HPV induces changes to the cervix, then there are treatment options available to reduce the risk of progressing to cervical cancer.
Genital warts can be treated also.
Can HPV be prevented? Definitely! Sexually abstinent individuals will be completely protected.
Sexually active people should avoid partners who have had multiple prior sexual contacts, although this can be difficult to determine.
Monogamous relationships have lower risk of contracting all STDs including human papillomavirus.
Condoms may provide partial protection against this disease, but this is not a failsafe method.
In addition, there is a highly effective vaccine available against 4 important strains of HPV.
It is approved for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26.
There is no available vaccine for males at this time.
Since vaccination does not protect women against all of the diseases strains, it is still important to undergo regular PAP smears.
Do international travelers need to be vaccinated? International travelers should be up to date on all routine vaccinations, in addition to any recommended or required travel vaccines.
The CDC advises that the human papillomavirus vaccination be considered for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26.
Females in this age group who will be traveling abroad should be up to date on all routine immunizations and should discuss the HPV vaccine with their physicians.
