Making a move against HIV and HPV

To increase awareness about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and improve public health, the government has launched a new initiative to combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the human papillomavirus (HPV).

On Sept. 22, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a recommendation that voluntary HIV screening become a routine part of medical care for all patients ages 13 to 64, aimed at increasing early diagnosis of HIV.

Earlier this year, on June 8, the Food and Drug Administration licensed the first vaccine developed to prevent genital HPV infection. Although the vaccine is new, it has been tested on over 11,000 females across the world and has shown no serious side effects, according to the CDC.

The number of people who are unaware that they are infected is high for HPV and HIV. Approximately one-fourth of the roughly one million Americans believed to be living with HIV do not know that they are infected, according to the CDC. This new policy stresses prevention among teens, many of whom are generally uninformed about STD prevention and the severe risks of HIV.

The CDC also wants to increase awareness for HPV, a group of viruses that affect both men and women. HPV is most common in women and, though there are no visible symptoms, is a major cause of cervical cancer.

Every year, 6.2 million Americans — the majority of them in their late teens and early 20s — are infected with HPV, according to the CDC. The CDC recommends routine Pap Smear tests for all sexually active females.

On June 29, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend inoculation with the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, in females between the ages of 9 and 26 to protect against four different types of HPV, responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases and 90 percent of genital warts infections, according to the CDC.

The committee recommended that the vaccine be administered at such a young age to make sure that it takes effect before the onset of sexual activity in order to maximize effectiveness.