A vaccination which immunises people to the effects of the human papilloma
virus (HPV) has brought about a dramatic reduction in the prevalence of genital
warts.
Professor Christopher Fairley, director of the Melbourne Sexual Health
Centre at the University of Melbourne, told a BMJ podcast that since the
vaccine was introduced in Australia in 2007, the sexually transmitted infection
in females under the age of 21 has decreased from 21 per cent to two per cent.
In addition to virtually eradicating genital warts, the vaccine has relieved
pressures on community health services, he added.
Around 20 per cent of patients at clinics no longer need to go, so doctors
can devote more resources to patients suffering with higher-risk sexual health
problems, Professor Fairley added.
The Health Protection Agency states that there are more than 100 different
strains of HPV that can have adverse effects on many regions of the body, but
the majority of genital warts are caused by types six and 11.
© Adfero Ltd
Sexual health news : 24 November 2011
