Welcome to the Vaccines and Immunizations website.
Skip directly to the search box, site navigation, or content.

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vaccines & Immunizations

Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:

HPV Vaccination
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that is spread through sexual contact. Most of the time HPV has no symptoms so people do not know they have it.

There are approximately 40 types of genital HPV. Somes types can cause cervical cancer in women and can also cause other kinds of cancer in both men and women. Other types can cause genital warts in both males and females. The HPV vaccine works by preventing the most common types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and genital warts. It is given as a 3-dose vaccine.

HPV vaccination

For the Media:

What You Should Know

About the Disease

top of page

Vaccine Information

At A Glance: The HPV vaccine is routinely recommended for girls 11 and 12 years of age and is given in a series of three injections over a six-month period. The second and third doses should be given two and six months (respectively) after the first dose.

The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women 13 through 26 years of age who did not receive it when they were younger. HPV vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

top of page

Vaccine Safety

As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.

top of page

Who Should Not be Vaccinated?

top of page

For Health Professionals

Clinical

top of page

Recommendations

top of page

References and Resources

top of page

Provider Education

top of page

Materials for Patients

top of page

For the Media

top of page

Non-CDC Link Disclaimer: Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization web pages found at these links.

.pdf files: To view and print the .pdf files on this site, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Use this link to obtain a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader (exit). We highly recommend that you upgrade to the latest version if haven't already.

This page last modified on January 5, 2009
Content last reviewed on October 16, 2008
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Quick Links

Also Known As & Abbreviations

Safer Healthier People

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A
Public Inquiries: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636); 1-888-232-6348 (TTY)

Vaccines and Immunizations