HHS HealthBeat (April 03, 2007)

The vaccine and HPV

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Human papillomavirus could be America’s most common sexually transmitted infection. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate about one in four females between 14 and 59 years of age harbor HPV. The CDC’s Dr. Eileen Dunne:

"The prevalence was highest among the 20- to-24-year-old women. Almost half of these women were infected with HPV." (6 seconds)

A new vaccine can protect against four types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers. CDC recommends shots start at age 11 or 12, with catch-up shots for those ages 13 to 26.

"Three-point-four percent of women had infection with the types of HPV that could be prevented by the vaccine." (7 seconds)

The study was in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: April, 06 2007