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HILLSDALE — With more and more pre-teens being vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) studies show a reduction of 64 percent among teen girls in the United States.
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency reminds parents that the HPV vaccine series is available, and should be given to all 11-12 year olds – both male and female to prevent cancer later in life.
The vaccine is available at the Hillsdale County office located at 20 Care Dr.
Nearly all men and women will get at least one type of HPV in their lifetime. About 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and about 14 million more become newly infected each year.
HPV is the most common badually-transmitted disease in the United States. Most people with HPV never develop symptoms or health problems and the infection goes away on its own within two years.
But for the people who don’t clear the infection, HPV can be very serious. There is no way to know which people who have HPV will get cancer or other health problems.
“There is no treatment for the virus itself,” said Yvonne Atwood, director of personal health and disease prevention at the local health department. “There are treatments for the health problems HPV can cause, such as bad warts, cervical changes, and other cancers, but the best way to avoid HPV is to get vaccinated.
“By doing this, you can protect your child from developing at least six different types of cancer later in life,” Atwood added.
Every year in the United States, over 27,000 people get cancer caused by HPV. That’s one person every 20 minutes of every day, all year long. HPV is the main cause of almost all cervical cancers in women. HPV vaccination is expected to prevent 90 percent of HPV cancers when given before your child is exposed to the virus.
For more information about vaccinations and what the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has to offer you, see our website at www.bhsj.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bhsjwic.
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