What are the benefits of the HPV vaccine?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can cause conditions like cervical cancer and genital warts, and the vaccine can protect against common strains. Family medicine physician Jennifer Caudle, DO, discusses the benefits of the HPV vaccine.
Transcript
We now have two vaccines on the market that help prevent against the two most common strains that cause cervical cancer and the two most common strains that
cause genital warts, as well. [MUSIC PLAYING]
There are many benefits to the HPV vaccine. This is something that I talk about with my teens, adolescents, and young adults almost every day in the office.
Remember that HPV is a virus. And the virus can cause many different types of medical conditions.
But some of the more common are cervical cancer and genital warts. Again, there are other types of cancers that can be caused by this virus as well, however.
Now, there are many different strains of this virus. But we now have two vaccines on the market that help prevent against the two most common strains that
cause cervical cancer and the two most common strains that cause genital warts, as well. So in essence, by getting the quadrivalent vaccine--
that's the vaccine that covers four different strains of the HPV virus-- you can actually get coverage from the types of HPV
that most commonly cause cervical cancer, and also, the two types of the HPV virus that cause genital warts.
This is, in essence, a vaccine against cancer and an STD, which I think is actually very important.
It's also important to remember that most children, adolescents, and young adults can receive this vaccine starting at 9 years old going up to about 26 years
old. People often ask me about the side effects. And I can tell you that one of the most common side effects is what we call local reactions, meaning
at the site of injection. Perhaps in your arm, you might get some redness or some swelling and maybe some pain. Typically, it is self-limited, meaning it lasts
for a short period of time. Of course, if you have any complications, you really should speak with your doctor. But is this vaccine a great way to protect young people
against cervical cancer and possibly genital warts as well? Absolutely. And you should speak with your doctor about this.
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