Gardasil Vaccine: Preventing HPV Infections
Gardasil refers to a vaccine that is administered to prevent particular strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV types 18, 16, 11, and 6, which are harmful (Siddiqui & Perry, 2006). Strains of HPV types 18 and 16 have been found to be responsible for up to 70% of cervical cancers, whereas types 11 and 6 cause about 90% of cases of genital warts (Siddiqui & Perry, 2006).
Mandatory Vaccination for Adolescent Females
Gardasil needs to be a mandatory vaccine for adolescent females. The reason is that HPV is the leading sexually transmitted illness in the U.S, with 20,000,000 people having it, and 50% of all sexually active males and females predicted to be infected with HPV at some point in the course of their lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). While the majority of HPV infections do not show any signs or symptoms, implying that they are often unknowingly spread between sexual partners, some can cause cervical cancer in females, the second-leading source of cancer deaths among females globally (Brown et al., 2011). Some strains of HPV have also been found to cause vaginal, anal, and vulvar cancers. The CDC (2016) estimates that over 15,000 HPV-related cancers occur in females every year. Gardasil vaccination is highly advised even when an individual is already infected with HPV as it offers protection against various strains of HPV in the future.
Mandatory Vaccination for Adolescent Males
Gardasil should also be a mandatory vaccine for adolescent males. The reason is that men are equally at risk of HPV infections and can contract and transmit such infections to their sexual partners. About 7,500 HPV-related cancers occur in males annually, adding that nearly half of the U.S adult males may be infected with the HPV virus (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016). Gardasil has been found to be 90% effective in safeguarding against HPV as well as genital warts in young men (Siddiqui & Perry, 2006). As such, it is an invaluable tool in protecting and preventing the spread of the virus.
References
Brown, D. R., Garland, S. M., Ferris, D. G., Joura, E., Steben, M., James, M., ... " Bryan, J. T. (2011). The humoral response to Gardasil over four years as defined by total IgG and competitive Luminex immunoassay. Human vaccines, 7(2), 230-238.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). Global Cancer Statistics. Retrieved November 15, 2018 from: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/international/statistics.html
Siddiqui, M. A. A., " Perry, C. M. (2006). Human papillomavirus quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16, 18) recombinant vaccine (Gardasil®). Drugs, 66(9), 1263-1271.
