HPV vaccinations recommended for boys and girls

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 79 million Americans are currently infected with the human papillomavirus, with around 14 million people becoming infected each year.

The CDC reports that it is the most common sexually transmitted infection. HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.

Public service announcements are stressing the seriousness of HPV and how getting three series of vaccinations can prevent cervical cancer in women and penile cancer in men, along with other types of cancer found in men.

The CDC recommends all boys and girls ages 11 or 12 get vaccinated. Catch-up vaccines are recommended for males through age 21 and for females through age 26.

HPV symptoms are hard to detect; most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it. However, women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result.

There is no test that detects HPV in men.

According to Eastern Idaho Public Health nurse Nikki Sayer, a person does not have to have intercourse to become infected with HPV.

“Skin-to-skin contact is all it takes. The common misconception people have is that you will only get HPV through sex, but no, that’s not true,” Sayer said.

Sayer said she wants people to know the vaccines are about preventing cervical cancer: “HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.”

Eastern Idaho Public Health Family and Community Health Services Director Amy Gamett said it’s important to get all three shots.

“So for the HPV vaccine, we have a series of three. It does protect from nine strains. They are the ones most commonly seen in cervical cancer, and some of the others that we’ve seen,” Gamett said.