Blog
Introduction
About 85% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime. Vaccinating all 11–12-year-olds can protect them long before they are ever exposed.
How it spreads
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Although the majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously, persistent infections can develop into anogenital warts, precancers, and cervical, anogenital, or oropharyngeal cancers in women and men.
HPV infection and cancer
Every year in the United States, 36,500 people (including women and men) are estimated to be diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection. Although cervical cancer is the most well-known of the cancers caused by HPV, there are other types of cancer caused by HPV.
HPV vaccination could prevent more than 90% of cancers caused by HPV from ever developing. This is an estimated 33,700 cases in the United States every year.
Cervical cancer and pre-cancers
Cervical cancer is the only type of cancer caused by HPV with a recommended screening test for detection at an early stage. The other cancers may not be detected until they cause health problems.
Even with screening, HPV causes 11,000 cases of cervical cancer each year in the United States. Every year, 4,000 women die of cervical cancer.
There are an estimated 196,000 cervical precancer cases each year in the United States. Treatment for cervical cancers and precancers may sometimes limit a person’s ability to have children.
Prevention
CDC recommends two doses of HPV vaccine for all adolescents at age 11 or 12 years.
More than 15 years of monitoring and research have accumulated reassuring evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination provides safe, effective, and long-lasting protection against cancers caused by HPV infections.
Clinical Overview of HPV | HPV | CDC
Seasonal Flu Vaccine Basics
Benefits of flu vaccination
Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu.
- Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year. For example, during 2019-2020, the last flu season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, flu vaccination prevented an estimated 7 million influenza illnesses, 3 million influenza-associated medical visits, 100,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations, and 7,000 influenza-associated deaths in the United States.
- During seasons when flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40% to 60%
- Vaccines and people with egg allergies
- People with egg allergy may receive any vaccine (egg-based or non-egg-based) that is otherwise appropriate for their age and health status.
- Who should get vaccinated
- Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza.
- Getting a flu vaccine and other recommended vaccines at the same time
- Coadministration of vaccines refers to giving or getting more than one vaccine during a visit. This is common clinical practice. While there are some exceptions, most vaccines can be given at the same visit. CDC
