What is HPV and why is it serious?
HPV stands for Human Papillomaviruses, and it is the causative virus for genital warts. In men, genital warts warrant treatment because it is an infectious disease and therefore should be treated. In women, they should not only be treated for the same reason but also because a few of the strains of Human Papillomaviruses or HPV are now known to cause cervical cancer. It is particularly important to treat Human Papillomaviruses, or to investigate the type of HPV involved in that patient in order to be more concerned in terms of follow up with the patient for cervical cancer. With regard to Human Papillomaviruses, it's important to know that we now have a vaccine available against Human Papillomaviruses. The studies suggest that it can prevent up to 70% of cervical cancers in the future if the vaccination programs are carried out adequately. It is certainly a serious consideration for adolescent girls or even younger. The HPV vaccine is licensed after the age of nine and it involves three vaccines separated out over about six months.
