Study: HPV prevalence in US down by 64% - giving South Africa hope
A Centre for Disease Control (CDC) study has revealed that there has been a significant decrease in prevalence of HPV in vaccinated young women in the United States. With South Africa having rolled out a state-wide program in 2014, it is hoped that a similar positive picture will be seen.
The national Department of Health introduced an HPV vaccine roll-out programme in April 2014. Introduction of the HPV vaccination programme in public schools is widely supported by scientists and healthcare workers involved in the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, who emphasise the excellent efficacy and safety record of the vaccines.[5]
There has been a decrease in the number of women infected with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in the United States following the introduction of the Gardasil vaccine, the Huffington Post reports.
The Gardasil vaccine helps protect against four types of HPV.
“In girls and young women ages 9 to 26, it helps protect against 2 types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases, 70% of vaginal cancer cases, and up to 50% of vulvar cancer cases. In males and females ages 9 to 26, Gardasil helps protect against about 80% of anal cancer cases and 90% of genital warts cases,” gardasil.com states.
The report is based on findings released from the study found in the Pediatrics journal, which has found that there has been a 34% decrease of the virus in women in their early 20s, and 64% decrease in young girls in their late teens. This is six years after the women were given the vaccine.
“We are seeing exactly what we would expect, that the first impact would be seen in the youngest age groups, and then as they age into the older age groups, we would see an impact on young women,” the study states.
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Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kevin Ault says: “Women in their teens and twenties are most at risk for these infections, so vaccination is protecting this target population."
In South Africa - which has a total population of about 50 million individuals, 51% of which are women - at least 19 million women aged 15 years and older are at risk of developing cervical cancer.
While the the Medicines Control Council (MCC) of South Africa approved two HPV vaccines to be given to girls aged 9 - 12 in 2008 already, the national roll out only started in 2014. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi then announced in 2015 that all grade nine learners would be vaccinated.
Parents and guardians, let Bridget know - have you taken your daughter to get the HPV vaccine? What have you taught them about HPV and cervical cancer? #Workzone1