Is the new HPV vaccine for you?

Imagine this scenario: A woman goes to her university health center for her regular gynecological checkup, which includes a Pap smear, a routine test for cervical cell changes that could lead to cancer. She is shocked to find out that she's infected with a viral sexually transmitted infection called HPV or human papillomavirus. She's overwhelmed with various emotions -- confusion, anger, embarrassment. Questions seem to swirl in her mind and tumble out of her mouth. What does this mean? How did I get it? Who gave it to me? What do I do now? Is there a cure? \nThis is how most women with HPV find out they have it. Otherwise, they have no clue they've been infected. \nThe medical professionals at the IU Health Center want to make sure that students have the most current and accurate information about STIs, and this especially includes HPV, the most common STI. \nThere is now a vaccine to protect against some strains of HPV. \nWhy is this so important? Since this is a viral infection, there is no cure, although a person's immune system defeats the vast majority of these infections on its own usually within two years. \nHPV is the virus that causes genital warts in some individuals, abnormal Pap smears and cervical cancer in some women. While there are about 30 strains of HPV that are sexually transmitted, only a few of these strains actually cause warts or cervical cancer. \nThe best possible means for combating a viral infection is a vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Gardasil, a new HPV vaccine made by Merck. This vaccine, which is specifically designed to prevent cervical cancer, is recommended for females ages 9 to 26, with the optimal age of 11 to 12 because children those ages already routinely get two other shots. Ideally, a female will obtain the vaccine before becoming sexually active. \nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that sexually active women consider immunization with the vaccine to protect them from the four viral strains covered by the vaccine. However, if they're already infected with one of these viral strains, the vaccine will not protect them against that particular strain.\nIf you're a female student at IU, you should consider your sexual history and whether it's a good idea for you to be vaccinated. You can schedule an appointment with a GYN nurse practitioner by calling 855-7688 to talk about your status and, if appropriate, obtain the first shot. \nA woman should definitely continue with her regular Pap smears because the vaccine only protects against certain HPV strains. Being infected with other strains is still a possibility. \nWhat about males? Research is ongoing concerning the vaccine's safety and effectiveness for males and should be completed by 2008. For now, the vaccine is only for females. \nOnce students learn about HPV, they should learn how to protect themselves from becoming infected. Unfortunately, because the virus is easily transmitted from genital skin to genital skin, penetration is not necessary. Condoms might not provide complete protection. This is because condoms only cover a portion of the male's genitals; other parts of his body, as well as his partner's, are still exposed. Condoms should still be used to reduce the risk of HPV infection as well as infection with other STIs. \nThe hope for this vaccine is that it will assist in lowering the incidence of disease and cancer in women. While it's unlikely that HPV will disappear for good, the more virulent strains will occur less often, which will benefit sexually active men and women and reduce the incidence of genital warts and cervical cancer.