Human papillomavirus (HPV) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human papillomavirus (HPV) - Essay Example HPV only affects women. This report addresses the issue of HPV, how it affects human beings and assesses the value of vaccines available for prevention of this virus. The report is addressed to the Minister of Health. The first step that the Ministry of Health should take in addressing the issue of Human papillomavirus is to understand the virus as well as how it affects human beings. As a Minister of Health, it is inevitable to have a clear understanding of this virus. Human papillomavirus is virus from the papillomavirus family. It is sexually transmitted and is the most common STI. The virus is available in over 40 HPV types. The virus infects the genitals of both female and male. It causes a number of cancers which include cervical cancer, penis cancer, vagina cancer, vulva cancer among others. In fact, this virus causes cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in the world. Therefore, it is imperative that your Ministry should look into this issue and give it the weight that it deserves. Many people do not know about the virus despite being common. The reason as to why many people do not know much about it is the fact that they may not notice it when infected. About half of al l men have been infected by the virus at a given time in their life while 3 out of 4 women have had the infection. The HPVs that cause cancer are referred to as the high risk HPV. The next fact that your Ministry needs to be aware of is the manner with which the virus affects and how it spreads. First, it is necessary to note that about 5% of all cancers in the world are caused by the high risk HPV. In addition, almost all cervical cancers are caused by this virus. The types HPV 16 and HPV 18 are responsible for cervical cancer in women. Genital contact is the main method through which the virus is passed on from one person to another. It is necessary to note that the virus be passed on even between partners of the same sex if