Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the association between humans warts and viruses. This was discovered and documented by a physician named Giuseppe Ciuffu in 1907. According to the article, HPV strains 16,18,31, and 45 are responsible for causing about 80% of cervical cancer (Sarid & Gao, 2011). Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death for women in the United States over the last 40 years (National Institutes of Health, 1996). Although the number of cases and number of deaths has decreased over the years with proper prevention including regular pap smears and HPV shots, cervical cancer is still a very prominent issue and treatment should be continued to be researched.
Since we already have a vaccine for HVP16 and HVP18, it is necessary to construct research to find a vaccine or treatment for the next most harmful strand of HPV. I believe the next HVP strand to be covered in the new treatment should be HVP31 or HPV45. Since strands 15,18,31, and 45 are the most responsible strands for causing cervical cancer and we already have vaccines for HPV15 and HVP18, HPV31 and HPV45 should be our next target.
Human Papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted virus, spread primarily through vaginal and anal sex. The vaccine for HVP31 and HPV 45 should be administered before one is sexually active to prevent the transmission of the other two most common strands leading to cervical cancer, HPV31, and HPV45. Administering the vaccine for HVP31 and HPV45 before someone is sexually active will lower the transmission of HPV and in result lower the number of cases of cervical cancer.
References:
Sarid, R., and Gao, S. 2011. Viruses and human cancer: From Detection to Casualty. Cancer Lett. 305(2):218-27.
National Institutes of Health. Cervical Cancer NIH Consensus statement. 1996;14(1):1-18 https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/statistics/index.htm. January 2021.
