Human Papilloma Virus is the cause of all warts.  About 17 types of this virus prefer the anal and genital skin area of humans.  At least two of these strains cause many cases of cervical cancer.  Two other strains are responsible for most of the warts that appear on human genitals.

The vaccines for HPV offer some protection against both problems.  A recent article about serious allergic reactions in a major medical news service incorrectly referred to the vaccine as a cancer vaccine.  No such vaccine exists.  Preventing HPV may or may not prevent cervical cancer.  The long term verdict is out but it does confer protection to women ages 16 - 25 on whom the vaccine was tested.  For females younger than 16 all that can be said is that it produced an immune response.

How long immunity lasts and whether there will be strains against which the vacine does not protect that begin to cause cancer is unknown. Now we know that the vaccine causes more anaphylaxis - a very serious allergic reaction - that other vaccines in school age children.  It is still only 2.6 people per 100,000 vaccinations a very low number but still quit important event for those 2 or 3 people.

HPV vaccine works in women over 16 that are not already infected with HPV to not contract 4 strains of the virus.  How this immunity plays out over time is unknown.  Another vaccine for pneumonia was only protective of a few strains of bacteria initially but was developed into a very good protection.  That pneumonia vaccine needed a booster every 5-10 years and only needed a single vaccination to confer immunity for that period.  It is not clear how HPV is going to do but is is more costly because of the need for multiple doses to confer immunity.

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