Female: Both cervical cancer and genital warts are cause by a sexually transmitted virus called HPV. Today there is a vaccine that can protect some from these viruses’ effects.
Female: In 2006, the FDA announced the approval of Gardasil, the first vaccine to protect against harmful strains of the human papillomavirus or HPV.
HPV actually refers to a group of about 100 similar viruses which affect over 6 million Americans. About 40 of these 100 strains are transmitted through sexual contact. Gardasil protects against four specific strains of HPV, number six and 11, which cause 90% of all cases of genital warts and number 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers.
Gardasil is approved for use in females between the ages of nine and 26, although since the virus is pass-sexually, girls yet to have intercourse are the best candidates.
Women who are already sexually active can still receive the vaccine however, even if they have already one strain of HPV, once the decision is made to have the vaccine, it is given as a set of three injections over six months.
The protection provided by Gardasil is not in place until you have received all three injections. Side effects of the vaccine may include redness and itching at the injection site as well as nausea and fever. If you think you might be a candidate to receive Gardasil, talk to you health care provider about the vaccine.
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