Genital warts are one of the most common STDs in the UK. Low risk HPV subtypes usually give risk to genital warts, as opposed to high risk subtypes which are a risk factor for cervical cancer.

HPV vaccine

• The HPV vaccine can be given to both males and females. In men, HPV is attributed to 

• Anal cancer in around 80% to 90% of cases, mainly due to strains 16 and 18. The risk is increased in men who have sex with men.
• Around 40% of vulval and vaginal cancer.
• Around 30% of cancers of the mouth and throat
• Around 47% of cancers of the penis.

There is no treatment for HPV infection itself. In the majority of individuals, the immune system will clear the virus.

Treatment is used to manage the symptoms of HPV infection.

There is however a highly effective vaccination-Gardasil and now Gardasil-9.

New Gardasil 9 Vaccine (9 Valent)

• Gardasil 9 is currently only available privately in the UK.
• The new HPV Vaccine provides immunity to  9 sub-types of HPV including 7 high risk strains. The previous 4 valent version provided coverage against sub-types 6,11, 16 and 18.
• The following 7 High Risk HPV sub-types are contained within the vaccination, HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58, which are found in the majority of HPV associated cancers.
• The vaccine also provides protection against the commonest HPV strains causing warts-strains 6 and 11.

The HPV vaccine is inactivated, which means it cannot cause infection in the vaccinated individual or be transmitted from the vaccinated individual.

The HPV vaccine can be given to both men and women from the age of 9 years, up until age of 27.

(The First dose should be given before your 27th birthday and subsequent doses completed within 12 months of dose 1)

The vaccine works best when given before you have contracted HPV infection.