New research shows that human papillomavirus vaccination can have great effects for those vaccinated and their partners, according to USNews.com.
A study done in Australia displayed significant declines in the number of HPV for girls ages 12 to 26 after they were vaccinated. Researchers saw a decline of 59 percent in the amount of genital wart cases, a symptom of HPV, within the first couple years of the program that began in 2007. HPV is the cause of 90 percent of genital wart cases.
The researchers analyzed statistics from eight organizations that specialize in sexual health. The data spanned from 2004 to 2011. The pre vaccination period was from 2004 to the middle of 2007. The vaccination period was from mid 2007 to the end of 2011.
In addition to women, researchers found a drop in the amount of herterosexual men who had genital warts to the tune of 39 percent.
Researchers call the phenomenon “herd immunity.” This is the ability of one group’s immunity to affect another group, in this case women affecting men.
Dr. Basil Donovan is the head of the sexual health program at the Kirby Institute of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and also an author of the study.
"All indications are that the program has been an overwhelming success," he said. “But we won't be certain until HPV-related cancers [also] start dropping." Donavan pointed out that HPV-related cancer does not occur till 20 to 30 years after diagnosis of HPV. Therefore more time will be needed to determine a trend. HPV-related cancers include, cervical, penile, anal, and throat cancer.
Girls under 21-years old saw a drop of 93 percent in genital warts cases. Women between the ages of 21 and 30 experienced a drop of 73 percent. Men between the ages of 21 and 30 saw a drop of 51 percent. Boys under the age of 21 saw a drop of 82 percent. There was no significant drop for men and woman over the ages of 30.
The question remains on whether the same methods will work for other countries. For example, the United States may not see these results because of the debate concerning vaccinating young girls. According to Donovan, the United Kingdom is set to do exceptionally well since their vaccination rates are comparable to Australia’s rates.
Dr. Jocylen Glassberg is an obstetrician and gynecologist for Scott and White Healthcare located in Round Rock Texas. According to her, “the vaccine is obviously working.”
"It will take many more years to see the same decline in cervical cancer rates due to the naturally slow progression of that disease process," Glassberg said. "But the vaccine works. The fact that genital wart rates were virtually zero after such a short time in women and men, even in a program just aimed at vaccinated women, is a phenomenal result."
The study was published in the April 18 issue of the British Medical Journal.
