Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection in the United States - Essay Example

PREVALENCE OF ORAL HPV INFECTION IN THE UNITED S Prevalence of oral HPV infection in the United s, 2009 Human papillomavirus is the main cause of infections that affect the throat, tonsils and tongue base. In as much as incidence of the oral HPV infection is increasing among men in the United States, minimal information is known regarding its epidemiology (Gillison, Pickard, Broutian, et al., 2012). This prompted a study to help determine its prevalence in the United States. The study was conducted by a representative sample of non-institutionalized US civilians. Five thousand five hundred and seventy nine participants comprising both men and women aged between 14 and 69 years were examined. The participants were observed in mobile examination centers where they rinsed and gargled mouthwash for thirty seconds. In order to detect HPV types, the DNA purified from oral exfoliated cells were evaluated by type-specific hybridization and polymerase chain reactions. Standardized interview was used to obtain behavioral and demographic data. The study revealed that nearly seven percent of fourteen to sixty nine-year-olds in the United States of America have oral HPV. It also brought to light the fact that men aged thirty to thirty-four and sixty to sixty-four were at a high risk of acquiring the virus infection. This is because men are three times more likely to get infected with the virus compared to women. Two million people were also found to be infected with HPV 16; a strain of the virus is linked to oral cancers (Gillison et al., 2012). The HPV 16 strain of the virus increases one’s risk of developing oral cancer by fifty percent. The study also revealed that oral HPV infection was not common with people who had no sexual contact history while those who had several sexual partners had a high risk of acquiring HPV virus infection. Lastly, the research also pointed out that cigarette smoking was also related to oral HPV infections since it leaves the mouth and throat vulnerable to infection. After the completion of the study and an examination of the findings it revealed, it was recommended that both young men and women should be vaccinated to prevent future infections of oral HPV. Young men and women aged eleven to twenty-six should be vaccinated. In this way, future oral HPV infections would be reduced to a great extent. Additionally, people are expected to uphold high sexual morals. This entails having one sexual partner and being faithful to that person. It is one sure way of minimizing oral HPV infections. The article is a must-read for those who care about their health. This is because it explains in details how common oral HPV is among the US population. The author has carefully articulated the need for people to know about oral HPV and how it is transmitted. In as much as it affects many people, little information is known about it. The study gives insights into the factors that may cause oral HPV infections. Surprisingly or not, sex appears as one of the factors. This is validated by the fact that less than one percent of people who had never practiced sex had oral HPV infections, while the risk of infection for individuals with several sexual experiences was almost eight times greater (Gillison et al., 2012). The article has also explained in length why oral HPV infection rate was high among individuals aged fifty-five to sixty-four years. Some of the reasons explaining the high oral HPV prevalence among the elderly include: reactivation of covert infections because of age-related immunity loss, combination of augmented incidence, and changes in sexual behavior across birth cohorts, among others (Gillison et al., 2012). In giving those reasons, the article makes the readers understand the influence of age in relation to oral HPV prevalence. In as much as the article revealed that oral HPV infection was three times high in men compared to women, it did not give substantial reason behind those facts. However, the authors have speculated that the virus may be more easily transmitted orally to males than to females. Additionally, it has left readers guessing that smoking, which is a common habit among men, could be the reason of their increased infection rate. The article could have explained in details why men have a higher infection rate compared to women. That information could have created awareness among males to change their behaviors that expose them to oral HPV infection. The article has improved my knowledge and thinking on human sexuality and sexuality education. The fact that oral HPV infection is caused by sex is novel information that I did not know until I read the article. Many people indulge in oral sex without protecting themselves, unlike in anal or vaginal sex. The HIV era has made people believe that oral sex is safe compared to anal or vaginal sex; hence, the upsurge of oral sex. This article has proved this notion to be false. Therefore, it gives people reasons to use dental dams to protect themselves when having oral sex. In this way, they are likely to minimize new infections of oral HPV infections. The study has revealed that those who had more than twenty sexual partners had a higher risk of acquiring the virus and added the virus to the list of the several diseases caused by sexual immorality. At the same time, it reiterated on the importance of having one sexual partner and being faithful to that single person. I also helped me realize that having several sexual partners does not make one a hero; instead, it is the easiest way of acquiring numerous sexually transmitted diseases, oral HPV being one of them. In conclusion, the article has clearly explained what oral HPV infection entails and how it is caused. It has given valuable insights on a little known but crucial subject. The study equips readers with information that they need to know regarding oral HPV. Therefore, it puts people in better positions to protect their body since they already know how the virus is acquired, and what they are supposed to do not to be infected. Reference Gillison, M., Pickard, R., Broutian, T., et al. (2012). Prevalence of oral HPV infection in the United States, 2009-2010. JAMA 2012, 307 (7), 693-703. Retrieved from: jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1104983 Read More