Why Women Need to Start Talking More About HPV

Although most will never know it, four out of five women are likely to be infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives. Using a condom doesn’t always protect your wellbeing against HPV, which is a major concern – not just to your sexual health, but to your overall wellness. HPV is the cause of virtually every case of cervical cancer, and yet a woman who finds out she has an HPV infection is not likely to tell even her closest friends. But why?

 

As HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) there is a certain amount of social stigma attached to it, meaning that women would rather keep schtum than get help. However, having HPV is a lot more normal than you may think, so there’s no real reason to stay silent. Plus, knowing your HPV status can help you identify your risk of cervical cancer – which is highly preventable if caught in time. Usually, the virus is harmless, with most of the 6 million new cases of HPV in the United States each year clearing up on their own. If you have HPV, it does not mean that you have had a lot of partners, although having multiple partners does increase your risk. However, unless you have been vaccinated, it’s quite likely that you will get a HPV. A study of women with just one partner found that 50% had HPV infections three years into their monogamous relationships.

 

That is not to say that having HPV means you have been unfaithful. There is a good chance that you could have contracted the virus years or even decades ago, but the HPV has been hiding out in your system before developing into changes in cervical cells. There are plenty of stories from couples who have been married for 10 or 20 years and found themselves upended by HPV. It is impossible to know when and where you have contracted the disease, so don’t jump to relationship-rattling conclusions. You don’t even need to have sex to transmit HPV; the virus can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, meaning that contact with the hands and oral sex can also spread the infection.

 

You may be worried about letting your teenagers have the HPV vaccination because it opens them up to the idea that they are about to have sex. However, getting the HPV vaccine isn’t about sex; it’s about cancer. The reason why it’s given to young people is to ensure they are vaccinated well in advance of their first sexual encounter, which, for some kids, can be age 13. Moreover, the body’s antibody responses are highest between the ages of nine and 15, which means the vaccine is at its most effective during that window. There are four HPV types that are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts, and the current vaccines, which are recommended for young girls and boys, protect against all of them.

 

We cannot ignore HPV, in spite of the stigma attached. If more people were to turn to the vaccination, we might soon speak about the virus in the same way we do about polio or smallpox. However, letting HPV reign in our lives can be life-threatening. While most infections go away without any treatment, some infections with specific types of HPV can persist and develop into cervical cancer over years or even decades. Therefore, there are many good reasons why you need to talk about HPV – and schedule your annual OB/GYN exam if you haven’t done so yet.

Categories: cancer, cervical, cervical cancer, HPV, nbsp, stigma, stigma attached, Vaccine, Virus, Women

The HPV Vaccine: Why the Internet is Lying to You

The internet has a lot of power these days, with any crazy person with a Wifi connection able to target anyone, anywhere. It’s easy to see how this might affect your emotional wellbeing – but what about your sexual health? Wellness expert Shaun Dreisbach notes, ‘Imagine a vaccine that helps prevent cancer. Now imagine that it’s going unused because of myths circulating online. That’s what’s happening with the HPV vaccine: A debunked article from 2009, which claims the shot doesn’t work and that it has led to dozens of deaths, went viral again late last year, and University of Maryland researchers have found that 52% of the HPV-vaccine-related videos they examined on YouTube had a negative, disapproving tone.’ But how can one article do so much damage?

 

‘Some experts fear these rumours are contributing to “horrifically low” vaccination rates for HPV—a sexually transmitted infection that affects nearly all adults and can cause genital warts and cancer,’ Dreisbach warns. ‘The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that this lifesaving vaccine could prevent 15,000 cases of HPV-related cancers each year, but a new study says that only 28% of women 18 to 26 report having started the three-dose series. As with any immunisation, there can be side effects, but out of the 57 million doses given in the US, less than 2,000 cases of serious reactions have been documented—and some of those haven’t been conclusively linked to the vaccine.’

 

Katharine O’Connell White, MD, chief of the division of general obstetrics and gynaecology at Baystate Medical Centre in Springfield, Massachusetts, argues that the HPV vaccine is ‘as safe as the flu shot. The most common side effects are pain and redness at the injection site; “more serious” symptoms include nausea and fainting. You have to balance the vaccine’s risks against what’s possible if you don’t get it, which is cancer.’ Dreisbach admits, ‘Though some deaths have been reported, the CDC has investigated each case and found no evidence the vaccine was to blame. And the shots are effective. Gardasil, the most popular and widely available vaccine, offers nearly 100% protection against the 2 types of HPV that cause about 75% of reported cervical cancer cases. The vaccine also protects against other strains that cause genital warts.’

 

But you’ve probably missed your chance now, right? ‘You can still get the shot if you’re already sexually active,’ says Dreisbach. ‘The vaccine is usually recommended for girls between ages 11 and 12 because it works best prior to HPV exposure. But some experts say adult women should also get it, even if they’ve already had HPV…While the FDA has yet to officially recommend the vaccine to women over age 26, many doctors do prescribe it.’ Dr. White explains, ‘Your body could naturally fight off the infection, and then you can get HPV again. Getting vaccinated now may safeguard you against future infections…If you’re not monogamous, you’re probably going to see more penises!’

 

And make sure you get all of your doses, says Dreisbach: ‘One study found that only 17% of women, on average, get all three doses of an HPV vaccine, which are supposed to be administered over a six-month period. Although that’s better than nothing (National Cancer Institute research shows that one or two doses still help women develop higher anticancer antibody levels than unvaccinated women), a partial series may not be enough to keep you cancer-free, so it’s best to follow up and get all the shots.’ And, if you need more information, don’t trust everything you read on the internet. As Dr. White says, ‘If you still have questions about the HPV vaccine, hit up your gyno—not Google.’

Categories: cancer, cancer dreisbach, cervical cancer, dr white, dreisbach, genital warts, HPV Vaccine, nbsp, Rumours, Vaccine, Women

Boys" cancer risk increased without same vaccine as girls, say ...

The HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, but health groups say boys not given the vaccine are at greater risk of viruses linked to other cancers Photograph: Burger/Phanie/Rex

Boys are being denied protection against the risk of cancer because they are not routinely offered the same vaccination as girls, a coalition of 25 patient groups and health organisations has claimed.

The coalition has launched an online petition for a “gender-neutral” approach with the HPV vaccine, which is already offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

Several backbench MPs backed the idea last year and vaccination advisers to the UK government have already pledged to consider the move but now HPV Action is stepping up the pressure on ministers to follow the example of the US, Australia and some Canadian provinces.

The vaccination combats a family of viruses that are also linked to a number of cancers prevalent in men including anal and penile cancer and genital warts. Peter Baker, campaign director for HPV Action, said: “Vaccinating girls alone is not enough to tackle HPV. Men can still get the virus from unvaccinated women from the UK and other countries or from other men.

“It is simply unfair to deny boys in the UK the same level of protection as girls or as boys in Australia and other countries where both sexes are now routinely vaccinated. The HPV vaccination is one of the easiest ways of preventing cancer.”

An online poll of 1,336 parents by YouGov for the organisation last month found 64% agreed with boys and girls being vaccinated, with 11% disagreeing and 25% unsure, said HPV Action, which includes the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, the British Dental Association, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Throat Cancer Foundation.

Categories: boys, cancer, cervical cancer, girls, hpv action, HPV Vaccine, risk, routinely offered, Vaccine

Boys" cancer risk increased without same vaccine as girls, say ...

The HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, but health groups say boys not given the vaccine are at greater risk of viruses linked to other cancers Photograph: Burger/Phanie/Rex

Boys are being denied protection against the risk of cancer because they are not routinely offered the same vaccination as girls, a coalition of 25 patient groups and health organisations has claimed.

The coalition has launched an online petition for a “gender-neutral” approach with the HPV vaccine, which is already offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

Several backbench MPs backed the idea last year and vaccination advisers to the UK government have already pledged to consider the move but now HPV Action is stepping up the pressure on ministers to follow the example of the US, Australia and some Canadian provinces.

The vaccination combats a family of viruses that are also linked to a number of cancers prevalent in men including anal and penile cancer and genital warts. Peter Baker, campaign director for HPV Action, said: “Vaccinating girls alone is not enough to tackle HPV. Men can still get the virus from unvaccinated women from the UK and other countries or from other men.

“It is simply unfair to deny boys in the UK the same level of protection as girls or as boys in Australia and other countries where both sexes are now routinely vaccinated. The HPV vaccination is one of the easiest ways of preventing cancer.”

An online poll of 1,336 parents by YouGov for the organisation last month found 64% agreed with boys and girls being vaccinated, with 11% disagreeing and 25% unsure, said HPV Action, which includes the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, the British Dental Association, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Throat Cancer Foundation.

Categories: boys, cancer, cervical cancer, girls, hpv action, HPV Vaccine, risk, routinely offered, Vaccine

Could a New Vaccine Protect You from Type 1 Diabetes?

When your wellness is affected by type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce any insulin. This is different from the more common version of the disease – type 2 diabetes – in that type 2 involves your body either not producing enough insulin, or your cells ignoring insulin that is indeed present in your body. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes and so researchers often look into ways to prevent the disease and now a new study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, may have found a way to do exactly that.

 

In an early stage trial, a new vaccine for type 1 diabetes is showing promising results in stalling and preventing the autoimmune disease from manifesting. Up until now, type 1 prevention has revolved around suppressing your immune system, but this method can be damaging to your wellbeing in other ways; increasing your risk of cancer and infections. According to Dr. Richard Insel, chief scientific officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), ‘What one really wants to do is tame or regulate the specific aspects of the immune system that have gone awry and leave the rest of the immune system intact.’

 

For the study, the Netherlands’ Leiden University Medical Centre and California’s Stanford University researchers experimented with the TOL-3021 vaccine, which was genetically altered so that it could shut down your harmful immune system cells without affecting the rest of your system. 80 type 1 diabetics, who were all receiving insulin injections, were given the vaccine for 12 weeks, which appeared to help maintain some insulin-producing beta cells within the pancreas. The vaccine raised people’s levels of C-peptides, which is a sign that the insulin beta cells were working, and lowered the number of immune system-killing T cells.

 

Study author Dr. Lawrence Steinman, a Stanford professor and the co-founder of company Tolerion – which was created to commercialise the vaccine when it is ready – commented, ‘So far, it looks like it is doing what we want. It looks like it has some potential, but very small numbers.’ The researchers are now designing a new and longer study, with the hope of recruiting as many as 200 patients.

Categories: beta cells, cells, Diabetes, Insulin, Research, type, type 1 diabetes, Vaccine

What Vaccinations Should Your Baby Have?

Children require as many as 25 vaccinations and booster shots in the first 15 months of their life alone, which makes it difficult to know what they’re getting and why. These vaccines are vital in helping children get started in life without the worry of diseases and ailments that their bodies can’t fight off at a young age, as well as some that they’ll need well into adult life as well. Here is a list of some of the most important vaccinations that your child will receive, and the potentially damaging germs that they are there to protect your child from. If you’re unsure when you should book these vaccines, your GP will be able to advise you what they need and when.

 

Hepatitis B

Your baby should receive a vaccine against this before they leave the hospital, and then have a booster shot at between one and two months, and then a third at six to 18 months. As indicated, this protects against the incurable virus of hepatitis B which affects the liver. This particular virus can be passed on to a baby during childbirth if the mother is infected with it. This is because the virus is spread through blood contact and other bodily fluids – even sharing toothbrushes can increase your risk.

MMR

This is a combination shot which protects against three viruses – measles, mumps and rubella. Measles causes a high fever and a rash which spreads along the entire body. Mumps causes pain in the face with swollen salivary glands, and sometimes swelling in the scrotum in boys as well. Lastly, Rubella or German measles can cause birth defects if the infection is caught by the mother during pregnancy. The first vaccine is given at 12 to 15 months of age, and then the child receives another one between the ages of 4 and 6. Sometimes, this vaccine is combined with a chickenpox vaccine – this is to reduce the amount of shots the child has to endure.

DTaP

The DTaP vaccination protects the child against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Diphtheria is a germ which can cause a grey or black film to develop in the throat. Tetanus is an infection which can cause muscle spasms in the body which can be so strong that they break the child’s bones. And pertussis is a very contagious disease which can lead to a severe and uncontrollable cough in the patient which is known as whooping cough. Children have five doses at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years of age. They will then have a booster at 11 or 12, and then every 10 years.

Hib

Haemophilus influenza type B is a bacteria which develops into meningitis. This causes inflammation in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, which can be very dangerous for children under the age of five. Hib vaccines are usually given at two, four, six, and 12 to 15 months of age. There may be a six month shot required as well, depending on the type of vaccine used. It’s common for the child to experience fever, swelling and redness where the vaccination was given as side effects from the jab. These will pass though.

Polio (IPV)

The Polio vaccine is a massive success, and because of it there are no more cases of the disease. The virus hasn’t been eradicated worldwide, though, so children still require the shot to protect them. This is a very serious condition and can lead to paralysis or even death in severe cases. Children have this shot at two, four, and six to 18 months, then again between the ages of four and six years.

Categories: Child, Children, months, shot, Vaccinations, Vaccine, viruses

Scientists Discover ‘Roadmap’ to AIDS Vaccine

A team of scientists on a quest for an antibody-based AIDS vaccine have said that they found promising signs in an unusually robust natural immune response of a patient in Africa. Through studying a number of blood samples over the three-year period after the sufferer was infected, researchers watched a microscopic battle between the virus and antibodies. Both evolved as they sought to gain the upper hand.

In an important breakthrough, for the first time, scientists were able to follow the full chain of events that led to the patient naturally producing the antibodies which attacks different strains of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.

This research has the potential to fill a gap in current scientific knowledge, which has been a roadblock on the path to an effective vaccine for the virus, which has already been responsible for more than 30 million deaths.

Antibodies could be considered to be the foot soldiers of your immune system. They latch onto viruses or other microbe-sized intruders into the body and tag them to be destroyed by other cells in the immune system. Most antiviral vaccines are made by priming antibodies to recognise specific germs more easily, but an effective method of doing this has not yet been successful in AIDS control.

One of the biggest problems for medical scientists and researchers, the HIV virus typically evolves too fast to ever be left open to antibody attack. The individual who is in the study, from an African country that was not specified, is one of around 20 percent of HIV-infected people whose immune systems naturally produce antibodies.

Scientists Discover ‘Roadmap’ to AIDS Vaccine

Categories: Africa, aids, Vaccine

Could a New Vaccine Reverse Your Type 1 Diabetes?

When your wellness is affected by type 1 diabetes, this means your immune system destroys your insulin-making cells. Your need this hormone to control your blood sugar levels, and so the disease can take its toll on your wellbeing, requiring you to have regular insulin injections throughout your life. However, according to an early trial, a vaccine may be able to retrain your immune system to stop attacking your body.

 

For the study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers at the Stanford University Medical Centre used a vaccine to retrain the immune system of 80 patients. Usually, vaccines tell your immune system to begin attacking, be it bacteria or viruses that cause disease. However, this vaccine had the opposite effect; forcing the immune system to cease its assault. After patients were given weekly injections for three months – targeting specific white blood cells which attack beta cells – the levels of those white blood cells fell but other parts of the immune system seemed to be left intact.

 

According to Professor Lawrence Steinman, of Stanford University Medical Centre, ‘We’re very excited by these results, which suggest that the immunologist’s dream of shutting down just a single subset of dysfunctional immune cells without wrecking the whole immune system may be attainable. This vaccine is a new concept. It’s shutting off a specific immune response.’ However, he added that as this research is at an early stage, further study is warranted. For example, the researchers need to undertake trials in larger groups of people which measure the long-term effect of the vaccine. As it stands, the effect of the vaccine seems to last for up to two months, so regular boosters would be needed.

 

Karen Addington, the UK chief executive of the type 1 diabetes charity JDRF, commented, ‘For the first time we have evidence that this particular type of vaccine has an effect in preserving insulin production in humans. This is a significant step forward on the journey towards a world without type 1 diabetes. We will build on this exciting DNA vaccine approach. Research into type 1 vaccines is a priority for JDRF’s multimillion-pound global research programme. But it is early days. Clinical use is still some time away.’

Categories: Research, type 1 diabetes, Vaccine

Autism Vaccination Scare Put Aside

A growing concern about American vaccines causing a severe rise in autism was addressed by U.S health officials.

Through an analysis of 1,000 toddlers, there was found to be no difference between those that developed normally to those who developed autism. The findings, published by the Journal of Pediatrics suggests that the average 2-year-old should have up to 10 jabs in order to protect themselves against such diseases such as rubella, measles and mumps.

Alongside the vaccines, the aforementioned illnesses were also thought to individually cause autism, following parental concerns that children were being given too many vaccines as toddlers, some of which were administered at the same time. Overall, there were concerns that this was unsafe. As a result, parents delay or even refuse the vaccinations out of fears for their child’s mental health.

“This is a very important and reassuring study,” said Geri Dawson according to NewsMaxHealth; Dawson is the chief scientific officer of Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization. She wasn’t involved in the study. “It’s going to be very helpful in addressing some of the concerns parents have had about vaccination schedules.”

The research concluded that 256 of the children had autism, whilst 752 did not; there were no differences in the vaccinations that the children were exposed to in their first years.

When you are injected, you receive antigens – dead forms of the virus. When this happens, your body creates antibodies, which defend your body from the virus. Should you ever get a live version of the illness, then the body knows how to defend itself.

The concerns are due to the antigens that are being injected too quickly into the body and harming children’s growth however, if the discovery is correct, then the administration of antigens is not the cause of autism. The reason that concerns are raised is because of the symptoms that develop during the toddler’s growth. As such, there is particular scrutiny as to the causes. The research proves that it is not the vaccines that are at fault.

Vaccinations are a necessity. By protecting your child from serious diseases, there will be far less to worry about than premature deaths and unwanted illnesses. The only issue is the timing.

Autism Vaccination Scare Put Aside

Categories: child health, children's wellness, Injection, Mental Health, Vaccination, Vaccine

New Alzheimer"s Disease Vaccine Being Created

In recent years, brain research has undergone many improvements and seen vast progress. However, more needs to be done, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International who recently issued their report on the Global Economic Impact of Dementia. They stated that if dementia were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy – this example highlights the state of the problem. There are hopes of significant breakthroughs for medical research where Alzheimer’s disease is concerned, as this condition is irreversible and can cause intellectual impairment. The MIMOVAX team is hoping to develop a vaccination which will ensure safe and effective treatment for this condition, with the result being a significant halt to the disease’s progression.

 

MIMOVAX is a project which targets truncated peptides derived from the Amyloid Precursor Protein, or APP. The team is focused on using immune reactions to fight beta amyloid proteins, which are believed to cause the condition. The project was initially running for three years by Austrian company AFFiRiS AG. During MIMOVAXs course, various vaccine candidates were identified which could have the ability to reduce amyloid plaque and help to improve spatial memory and learning. The results of the tests are currently being evaluated, but researchers are confident that they could have a vaccine available within the next twelve months.

 

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are conditions which are becoming increasingly common, with symptoms being forgetfulness and disorientation. This degenerative disease requires more research in order for an effective treatment to be developed. If you think that someone you know is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, you should seek medical advice from your GP as soon as possible. Though Alzheimer’s disease is not treatable, it is possible to prevent the condition from developing more quickly through early intervention.

Categories: Alzheimer's Disease, new study, Vaccine

Gut Bacteria: A Cause of Autism?

With growing concerns over vaccines triggering autism in young toddlers, the last thing that parents want to hear is about another vaccine; however in light of ground-breaking research, a new vaccine has emerged to fight against gut bacteria which, it is said, can also fight against autism symptoms.

The gut bug known as Clostridium Boltae is said to caught disorders in the gut, which are also said to be found commonly in autistic children, with over 90% of children suffering from chronic, severe gastrointestinal symptoms and another 75% suffering from diarrhoea.

Whilst it is unclear as to why autistic children are susceptible to the bacteria, the vaccine is an attempt to reverse the effects. With autism cases rising sixfold within the past two decades, the rising concerns and sheer mystery as to why remains unclear. Whilst some researchers claim that it is the environment, others believe that the gut is the primary cause – even though they are not sure why.

The vaccine is the first of its kind that is designed to fight this type of gut bacteria. There are some suspicions that the bacteria inject toxins or metabolites into its host, which may then control or trigger the symptoms and causes of autism – in particular, regressive autism.

The downside to this vaccine is that it may take more than ten years to go through pre-clinical and human trials – longer still will be the process of making the drug marketable. It is uncertain as to whether this two-decade increase will continue to grow within the next decade.

For researchers however, this is the first – and significant – step into resolving the autistic mystery. With the vaccine able to introduce antibodies quickly for the body’s immune system to detect and identify, the toddler can be protected from the risks of intestinal infections and also, perhaps more importantly, the lifelong risk of autism. For them, it is better late than never at all.

Gut Bacteria: A Cause of Autism?

Categories: autism, autistic, autistic children, Bacteria, bowel, Children, Fight, gut bacteria, intestinal, Mental Health, Toddler, Vaccine