SK staff hear talk on HPV virus | Local News - Oneonta Daily Star

SK staff hear talk on HPV virus | Local News - Oneonta Daily Star

SK staff hear talk on HPV virus | Local News - Oneonta Daily Star

Posted: 28 Aug 2019 07:26 PM PDT

Medical and community professionals spoke to South Kortright Central School faculty and staff at the school for an educational panel on the importance of the human papillomavirus vaccine Wednesday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and can be spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex.

About 80% of sexually active people are infected with HPV at some point in their lives, but most never know they have it because in many cases they show no symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic's website.

In most cases, a person's immune system fights the HPV off. When it doesn't go away, HPV may cause some types of cancer, associated with the high-risk strains, or genital warts, associated with low-risk strains. It's most common in people in their late teens and early 20s. Per year, 79% of cancer cases — in sites where HPV is often found like the penis, vagina, anus and the part of the throat just behind the mouth — are probably caused by any HPV type, according to Cleveland Clinic.

The HPV vaccine first became available in 2006. According to the CDC, the HPV vaccine provides protection against HPV strains that cause most cervical cancers, anal cancers and anogenital warts; as well as 70% of throat cancers, vaginal and vulvar cancers; and 60% of penile cancers.

The vaccine provides immunity for at least 10 years, said Matt Adan, a third year Columbia University medical student. Research also shows that the vaccine doesn't cause changes in sexual behavior, Adan said.

"Cervical cancer is a disease that should just be eliminated like smallpox," said Dr. Maureen Killacky, clinical director of the New York Presbyterian/Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The HPV vaccine is available to students at South Kortright through School-Based Health program, a service that places medical, behavioral, dental and vision care directly in schools, according to School-Based Health Alliance's website.

Shweta Karikehalli, staff writer, can be reached at skarikehalli@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221. Follow her @DS_ShwetaK on Twitter.

*headline changed at 7:18 a.m. to correct the audience of the talk

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