Silent epidemic
HPV is now the No. 1 sexually transmitted infection, yet the majority of those infected don't even know it
by Brittney Hansen
Issue date: 4/1/08
Section: National and World News
Right now, about 20 million Americans are infected with the Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, and that number is rapidly on the rise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year genital HPV infects another 6.2 million people and it is estimated about 74 percent of these new infections occur in 15 to 24-year-olds.
Only 3.1 percent of Minnesota State students reported having genital warts or HPV in 2007 according to a survey by the American College Health Association and National College Health Assessment. Still, HPV is considered to be the No. 1 sexually transmitted infection and at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.
HPV can be transmitted through any genital contact - not just intercourse - and can lead to genital warts on males and females or can cause abnormal cell changes in the cervix in women. If left undetected, these cell changes can increase a woman's risk for cervical cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide and causes about 3,700 deaths in the U.S. each year.
"HPV is sexually transmitted, but it doesn't have to be actual intercourse penetration," according to Jodi Egeland, nurse practitioner at Minnesota State Student Health Services. "It can be transmitted that way or just very intimate sexual contact." According to Egeland, condoms are only 70 percent effective for preventing HPV.
What many find to be most startling, however, is that most people with genital HPV do not even know they have it.
There are more than 100 different strains of HPV according to the American Social Health Association. Of these strains, there are two different types of HPV, low and high risk.
Low-risk strains of HPV are not linked to cervical cancer and can be visually seen in the form of genital warts on both men and women. About two out of three who have sexual contact with an infected person will also get genital warts. Healthcare providers can remove these warts through Cryotherapy (freezing off the wart with liquid nitrogen), laser therapy or other chemical compounds. Prescription creams and gels are also available to treat genital warts. About one-fourth of those treated for genital warts will have them reappear if HPV is still present in their immune system.
The other type of HPV is high-risk HPV, which may not be visible but can be detected in women by cell changes found on a Pap smear.
If abnormal cells are detected, an HPV test is then performed, and if found positive, a Pap is repeated every four to six months until two pap smears are normal, since about 90 percent of immune systems will clear the infection in their own within two years, according to the CDC. If the infection is not cleared, further testing and treatment is needed.
Although men can also be carriers of high-risk HPV, there is no test for them.
"It just hasn't been developed," Egeland said.
Health Services offers a vaccination to help prevent HPV. Gardasil is a series of three shots over a six-month period and is used to prevent HPV Types 16 and 18, which cause 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases, and HPV Types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of cases of genital warts.
According to Egeland, at the end of six months, those vaccinated have 99.8 percent immunity to the four most common strains of HPV.
"You're getting almost 100 percent immunity to the four strains, which make up about 80 percent of all HPV infections. It's an insurance policy."
Gardasil is recommended for young girls as young as nine and for women through the age of 26 whether they are sexually active or not.
Vaccinations for men and those 27 or older are not yet developed.
If a patient has already had an HPV infection, it is still recommended they get the vaccination to prevent an infection from reoccurring, according to Egeland.
"You may clear this infection, but you can become infected later by another partner or the same partner over again," she said. "Remember, we can't treat men, but they carry that virus, we have no way to test them, we have no way to treat them or get rid of it so they can continue to pass that on, so it would help the female to have the immunity."
This vaccination is pricey - at about $160 per shot - but Egeland said many insurance providers would cover it. If a patient does not have insurance, MSU has a program through the drug manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., so that patients without insurance, or whose insurance companies do not cover vaccinations, can receive the shots for free after a series of paperwork.
"It's a process," Egeland said, "but we're definitely willing to do that for people and get them that shot if they can't afford it and don't have coverage for it."
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter assistant news editor
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year genital HPV infects another 6.2 million people and it is estimated about 74 percent of these new infections occur in 15 to 24-year-olds.
Only 3.1 percent of Minnesota State students reported having genital warts or HPV in 2007 according to a survey by the American College Health Association and National College Health Assessment. Still, HPV is considered to be the No. 1 sexually transmitted infection and at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.
HPV can be transmitted through any genital contact - not just intercourse - and can lead to genital warts on males and females or can cause abnormal cell changes in the cervix in women. If left undetected, these cell changes can increase a woman's risk for cervical cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide and causes about 3,700 deaths in the U.S. each year.
"HPV is sexually transmitted, but it doesn't have to be actual intercourse penetration," according to Jodi Egeland, nurse practitioner at Minnesota State Student Health Services. "It can be transmitted that way or just very intimate sexual contact." According to Egeland, condoms are only 70 percent effective for preventing HPV.
What many find to be most startling, however, is that most people with genital HPV do not even know they have it.
There are more than 100 different strains of HPV according to the American Social Health Association. Of these strains, there are two different types of HPV, low and high risk.
Low-risk strains of HPV are not linked to cervical cancer and can be visually seen in the form of genital warts on both men and women. About two out of three who have sexual contact with an infected person will also get genital warts. Healthcare providers can remove these warts through Cryotherapy (freezing off the wart with liquid nitrogen), laser therapy or other chemical compounds. Prescription creams and gels are also available to treat genital warts. About one-fourth of those treated for genital warts will have them reappear if HPV is still present in their immune system.
The other type of HPV is high-risk HPV, which may not be visible but can be detected in women by cell changes found on a Pap smear.
If abnormal cells are detected, an HPV test is then performed, and if found positive, a Pap is repeated every four to six months until two pap smears are normal, since about 90 percent of immune systems will clear the infection in their own within two years, according to the CDC. If the infection is not cleared, further testing and treatment is needed.
Although men can also be carriers of high-risk HPV, there is no test for them.
"It just hasn't been developed," Egeland said.
Health Services offers a vaccination to help prevent HPV. Gardasil is a series of three shots over a six-month period and is used to prevent HPV Types 16 and 18, which cause 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases, and HPV Types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of cases of genital warts.
According to Egeland, at the end of six months, those vaccinated have 99.8 percent immunity to the four most common strains of HPV.
"You're getting almost 100 percent immunity to the four strains, which make up about 80 percent of all HPV infections. It's an insurance policy."
Gardasil is recommended for young girls as young as nine and for women through the age of 26 whether they are sexually active or not.
Vaccinations for men and those 27 or older are not yet developed.
If a patient has already had an HPV infection, it is still recommended they get the vaccination to prevent an infection from reoccurring, according to Egeland.
"You may clear this infection, but you can become infected later by another partner or the same partner over again," she said. "Remember, we can't treat men, but they carry that virus, we have no way to test them, we have no way to treat them or get rid of it so they can continue to pass that on, so it would help the female to have the immunity."
This vaccination is pricey - at about $160 per shot - but Egeland said many insurance providers would cover it. If a patient does not have insurance, MSU has a program through the drug manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., so that patients without insurance, or whose insurance companies do not cover vaccinations, can receive the shots for free after a series of paperwork.
"It's a process," Egeland said, "but we're definitely willing to do that for people and get them that shot if they can't afford it and don't have coverage for it."
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter assistant news editor
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
g
posted 4/02/08 @ 5:40 PM CST
Duh - the best way not to catch HPV ... abstain!
Mike Norton
posted 4/03/08 @ 4:23 PM CST
Actually the best way not to catch HPV is to get the vaccine, that way people who lie about practicing abstinence or who break their vow later on don't have to worry about passing on a disease to others. (Continued…)
christy
posted 7/22/08 @ 4:30 AM CST
so how the hell do i find out the actual percentage of americans are infected...20% 80%?? someone tell me!!
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