90 likes | 349 Views
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
E N D
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?