# A public (pubic?) health victory: HPV infections cut in half by vaccine **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385 "2013-06-19T19:06:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/1 "2013-06-19T19:06:13Z")
This is not really mundane or pointless: it’s pretty damn cool. [HPV vaccine has halved infection rates in teen girls since its introduction.](http://www.nbcnews.com/health/hpv-infections-fell-half-teen-girls-after-vaccine-study-shows-6C10378279) The interesting part is that only 1/3 of teenaged girls have received the full series of shots. The article suggests that sexually active girls (the ones most at risk for infection) may be seeking out the vaccine in greater numbers, which may account for the larger-than-expected reduction in cases. I suspect something else, too: because they are immune, if the are exposed to an infected partner, they won’t be transmitting that infection to any new partners (who then won’t transmit it to anyone else). In all seriousness, if Michael Douglas had gotten the vaccine many many years ago, perhaps he would not have developed throat cancer. This points to the need for vaccinating boys as well as girls. Maybe this ought to be as universal as vaccines for tetanus or pertussis? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/2 "2013-06-19T19:30:54Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I suspect something else, too: because they are immune, if the are exposed to an infected partner, they won’t be transmitting that infection to any new partners (who then won’t transmit it to anyone else). In other words, there’s some herd immunity working here. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/3 "2013-06-19T19:37:53Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > This is not really mundane or pointless: it’s pretty damn cool. Is that why you posted it in GQ? 😉 Reported for forum change. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/4 "2013-06-19T19:42:03Z")
Moved to MPSIMS, which was evidently the OP’s intent. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/5 "2013-06-19T19:47:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Moved to MPSIMS, which was evidently the OP’s intent. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator :smack: Sorry, I was distracted by the warts on my genitals. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/6 "2013-06-19T19:49:00Z")
That is either the best or worst _mea culpa_ ever. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/7 "2013-06-19T19:49:20Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > In other words, there’s some herd immunity working here. It would seem so, but that’s amazing, considering the low vaccination rate. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/8 "2013-06-19T21:26:51Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Sorry, I was distracted by the warts on my genitals. Please go boink the living bejuses out of Jenny McCarthy for us. I know she’s a skank, but take one for the team. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/9 "2013-06-19T21:30:56Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > :smack: > > Sorry, I was distracted by the warts on my genitals. That’s even worse than texting while driving. No excuses mister. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/10 "2013-06-20T05:03:45Z")
But doesn’t it encourage promiscuity? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/11 "2013-06-20T09:15:59Z")
Just got the first of my HPV shots to-day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/12 "2013-06-20T12:29:39Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > But doesn’t it encourage promiscuity? :dubious: A few points: Why do you believe the average person would want to fuck everyone in town once the risk of disease is gone? Is that what _you_ would do if _you_ got immunized? If the risk of disease is truly gone, and the risk of pregnancy is minimized due to effective birth control, why is promiscuity such a horrible thing? As an aside, the HPV vaccine doesn’t mean the risk of disease is gone. It’s still possible to contract AIDS, herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorhea, pubic lice, and probably a bunch of other diseases. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/13 "2013-06-20T13:02:25Z")
Ya got whooshed **Elf**. The blue-noses always trot out “…but that will encourage kids to screw even _more_!” any time something is introuduced that makes screwing simply less lethal. Needless to say, I won’t be mentioning the low sex appeal of the droves of autistic zombies who got the DPV vaccine, and their resulting abstinence resulting in skewed numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/14 "2013-06-20T13:13:23Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Just got the first of my HPV shots to-day. 🙂 Aren’t you a male? I thought they were approved for use in women only. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/15 "2013-06-20T13:30:27Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Aren’t you a male? I thought they were approved for use in women only. Gardasil is approved for men and boys, and the [CDC recommends](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm) that males 11-21 be vaccinated. The vaccine is approved for men through age 26. (AFAIK there’s no additional danger to getting it past that age, it’s just than an adult man who’s been sexually active for several years has likely already been exposed to HPV.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/16 "2013-06-20T13:33:25Z")
Ignorance fought! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/17 "2013-06-20T13:35:54Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > (AFAIK there’s no additional danger to getting it past that age, it’s just than an adult man who’s been sexually active for several years has likely already been exposed to HPV.) Ok, sorry to ask a question off-topic but hopefuly somebody can answer it: My X had some suspicious pre-cancerous cells removed from her cervix a while after we were divorced. My fiancee, therefore, assumed that she had HPV, which meant that I did, which meant that she now does. However, her latest exam showed that she does not in fact have HPV. What is the most likely explanation? 1. X contracted HPV after we split up 2. X doesn’t have HPV at all, and the cervical issue was unrelated 3. X has HPV and somehow, I never got it 4. I have HPV and somehow haven’t transmitted it ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/18 "2013-06-20T16:16:38Z")
I hope this doesn’t just prove to be a temporary dip, with the vacant HPV 16/18 niche soon to be filled in by other high-risk HPV types not covered by any of the current vaccinations. But when we’re talking about cancer, even a temporary decrease is a good thing! ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/19 "2013-06-20T18:44:22Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Ok, sorry to ask a question off-topic but hopefuly somebody can answer it: > > My X had some suspicious pre-cancerous cells removed from her cervix a while after we were divorced. > > My fiancee, therefore, assumed that she had HPV, which meant that I did, which meant that she now does. > > However, her latest exam showed that she does not in fact have HPV. > > What is the most likely explanation? > > 1. X contracted HPV after we split up > 2. X doesn’t have HPV at all, and the cervical issue was unrelated > 3. X has HPV and somehow, I never got it > 4. I have HPV and somehow haven’t transmitted it 1. She had HPV, but her body has since cleared it. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385/20 "2013-06-26T03:51:32Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > I hope this doesn’t just prove to be a temporary dip, with the vacant HPV 16/18 niche soon to be filled in by other high-risk HPV types not covered by any of the current vaccinations. But when we’re talking about cancer, even a temporary decrease is a good thing! Unless there’s some advantage to the virus in causing cancer (and I can’t imagine what that would be), presumably the niche will be just as likely to be filled by non-cancer-causing strains of HPV. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-public-pubic-health-victory-hpv-infections-cut-in-half-by-vaccine/661385.md?page=2)