CGH event on vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted diseases

The human papillomavirus vaccine, which targets certain sexually transmitted strains of HPV associated with the development of cervical cancer and genital warts, will be the topic of a free presentation next week at CGH Medical Center. Two vaccines, Gardisil and Cervarix, are on the market and recommended for girls and women ages 9 to 25. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by age 50, more than 80 percent of adults will be exposed to the virus, which primarily is passed on by skin-to-skin contact. Because it is a virus that lives on the skin, a condom is not effective in preventing transmission. The vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective against the four HPV strains that it covers, but it does not protect against