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Young women are commonly
infected with the STD Human Papillomavirus after becoming sexually active,
though most quickly clear the infection, according to a study led by Dr. Ana
Cecilia Rodriguez of the National Cancer Institute. Certain HPV strains can
cause genital warts or lead to cervical cancer.
The researchers followed 206 Costa Rican women ages 18-26 who were virgins
at the study's start. After becoming sexually active, they were followed for
an average of 3.6 years. While 53 percent of the women tested positive for
HPV, few of these infections persisted for more than one to three years, the
authors said. Three of the women developed pre-cancerous changes in their
cervical cells.
HPV "occurs frequently and clears rapidly in most young women initiating
sexual intercourse," the researchers found. But, in a small number of cases,
persistent infection with certain HPV strains may cause pre-cancerous
cervical changes within just a few years, they noted.
Of the three women who developed such abnormalities, two had the HPV-16
strain, one of the strains targeted by the HPV vaccine Gardasil. US health
officials recommend routine HPV immunization for girls ages 11-12 and for
unvaccinated females ages 13-26. Women are also urged to undergo Pap testing
within three years of sexual debut or by age 21.
Researchers should continue to study the natural progression of HPV
infection to gain better insight as to why most women are able to clear the
virus while some develop pre-cancerous abnormalities, Rodriguez and
colleagues said.
The study, "The Natural History of Human Papillomavirus Infection and
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Among Young Women in the Guanacaste
Cohort Shortly After Initiation of Sexual Life," was published in Sexually
Transmitted Diseases (2007;34(7):494-502). |
