As a healthcare professional offering advice to my fellow colleague on which human papillomavirus (HPV) strains should be treated in a new treatment, I would advise them to focus on HPV 16, 18, 31, and 45. Based on the article, “Viruses and Human Cancer: From Detection to Causality,” there are over 100 types of recognized types of HPV to date. HPV is now identified as a cancer virus that is essentially the culprit of causing almost all cases of cervical cancer. HPV strains 16, 18, 31, and 45 make up approximately 80% of known cervical cancer cases in women. Despite Sarid and Gao noting that HPV strains 33, 35, 39, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 59 may also be associated with cervical cancer, it is only hypothesized and there is no concrete evidence for those additional strains to cause cervical cancer. There are currently HPV vaccinations that cover HPV 16 and HPV 18 which will prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus. The new vaccination including coverage for HPV 16, 18, 31, and 45 should be administered to early teens who are yet to be sexually active since HPV is spread through intimate skin to skin contact. Typically, HPV vaccinations are given through a series of 3 shots over the duration of 6 months. Average costs of all 3 shots combined without insurance are $400-$500 dollars. This is rather expensive for most people as the typical minimum wage worker will have to work 33 to 41 hours to cover the cost. It is imperative for people to receive the vaccination as it provides protection against HPV which is known to cause cancer. If unvaccinated and HPV is contracted in the future and leads to cancer, the cost of chemotherapy is much greater than the cost of the vaccine. As a healthcare professional, the prevention of diseases through vaccines versus treatment after the contraction is preferred and recommended to everyone.
