Mums and women may already be very familiar with the HPV virus. So far, the HPV virus is more often associated with diseases suffered by women. The HPV virus is the main cause of cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer in women. In fact, men can also get HPV and can cause anal cancer and genital warts in men.
Facts About the HPV Virus
About 40% of people aged 15-59 years have experienced this infection, and about 8 out of 10 men and women are expected to be infected with HPV in their lifetime. So, this virus can attack anyone, both women and men.
The HPV virus is one of the common viruses that can cause sexually transmitted infections because the transmission of the HPV virus generally occurs through sexual contact or close skin-to-skin touching. WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that around 99 percent of cervical cancer cases are related to genital HPV infection and in Indonesia, cervical cancer ranks second with 36,633 cases or 9.2% of total cancer cases.
Not all HPV infections will become cancerous. In addition to cancer, this virus can cause warts on various parts of the body. The HPV virus lives on skin cells and has more than 100 types. There are about 60 types of HPV that cause warts which generally infect parts of the body such as the feet and hands, while 40 of them trigger the appearance of genital warts.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in America or the CDC, an estimated 340-360 thousand men and women are exposed to HPV that causes genital warts each year. In Indonesia, genital warts are included in the third most common sexually transmitted infections. Not only contagious, genital warts even have an impact on the psychosocial sufferers.
Can be Prevented with the HPV Vaccine
Diseases caused by HPV infection can be prevented through vaccination. HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90% of cancers caused by the HPV virus. In fact, HPV vaccination can still be given to individuals who have been diagnosed with genital warts as a preventive measure for infection with other types of HPV.
Currently, HPV vaccination is available in Indonesia. To maximize the elimination of diseases related to the HPV virus, vaccinations can be given to both women and men. Both women and men can get quadrivalent and non-avalent types of HPV vaccine, while the bivalent HPV vaccine is only for women.
Maudy Ayunda, HPV Educator from @NgobrolinHPV said, “Not only protecting women, the HPV vaccine also provides protection for men. Because both have a risk of infection with HPV which has the potential to cause cancer or venereal disease. Even 85% of people can be infected with HPV during their lifetime. Therefore, it is important to start a discussion or conversation about HPV with the closest people, so that everyone can get protection from vaccination.”
dr. Dirga Sakti Rambe, internist and vaccinologist stated, “Many developed countries have made the HPV vaccination for men a part of the national immunization program. Various diseases associated with the HPV virus do not only attack women. This concept is called “gender-neutral HPV vaccination program”. With more and more people being vaccinated against HPV, the transmission rate of the HPV virus in the population will be lower. In the end, the number of cases of diseases related to the HPV virus in men and women will also decrease.”
When is the HPV Vaccine Given to Men?
One of the studies in the PubMed Central journal stated that vaccination programs need to be carried out for boys and men through a catch-up/follow-up vaccination program. The study found that vaccinating men from 12 to 26 years of age was expected to prevent an average of 48 cases of cancer in the study group (an estimated total of 720 cases).
This study also shows that cancer prevention through catch-up vaccination programs is compatible with increasing cost-effectiveness so this can be an important consideration for decision makers for HPV-associated disease elimination strategies.
Managing Director of MSD Indonesia George Stylianou said, “MSD Indonesia encourages young adult men to prioritize health by understanding the risks and prevention strategies. To learn more about HPV-related diseases and their prevention, see our social media @NgobrolinHPV and the official website www.ngoblinhpv.com.”
Now, men and dads, immediately discuss with your doctor about HPV infection and its prevention. Or you can find out complete and reliable information about HPV infection by visiting the NgobrolinHPV.com portal.
2023-09-04 09:04:31
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