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HPV

I decided to write an article on this virus that affects many many people in many different ways. Even though the HPV virus is very common, people are clueless about it as well as vaccines that claim they help. So I’ll begin with giving a rundown on the Human Papillomavirus and why you need to educate yourself on this important topic.

“HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection with over a hundred different strains that affects the skin(mucosal & cutaneous) and mucous membranes (vagina, mouth, anus).” HPV is a very particular virus. First of all, this papillomavirus only affects humans. Other species have their own forms of the papillomavirus which cannot be passed between different species. Each of the different strains of HPV have their own specific places they like to inhibit in the body. Ranging from the genital area to the mouth and even your hands and feet.

Even though there are no signs or symptoms, it is still possible to spread the virus through sexual contact. I say sexual contact because you don’t even have to have sex to get this virus. A lot of people seem to forget that oral sex and touching infected areas with your hands can easily spread bacteria,germs, and viruses. STDs such as Chlamydia, syphillis, herpes, gonorrhea, and HPV can all be transmitted through oral sex. Oral HPV silently inhibits the back of the mouth cavity and there has been a rise in throat cancers linked to the HPV virus. Specifically Oropharyngeal cancer which occurs in the back of the mouth, towards the throat. In some cases the virus can lead to cervical cancer. In other cases, the virus leads to warts. Even if the virus is contracted through oral sex it can spread to the genital region.

HPV is referred often as being spread through direct skin to skin contact. What does this exactly mean? It means that if you have sex with someone infected with HPV, protected or unprotected you can contract or spread the virus. This is because the virus can be “living” on the outer genital skin area such as the labia or the scrotum and simply touching your infected SKIN to their SKIN and vice verse can result in spreading HPV.Additionally, if you give or receive oral sex from someone who is infected with HPV, it is possible to spread or develop HPV as well.

70% of sexually active people will get the HPV virus at some point in their life and 80% of women are affected by the age of 50. This virus can remain inactive for weeks, months, and years before it shows up on tests. I don’t say this to scare you. However, it is very important to inform you of these alarming facts.

Not to hate on the guys, but men are the main carriers of this virus and since there are no signs or symptoms, most men do not even know they have the virus. Also, there is no medical test available for men to even see if they have HPV. This is why it is so vital that women regularly go to the gynecologist for a routine pap smear. This is the only way to know whether or not you have the virus. If you do have HPV, you should know that HPV almost always clears up on it’s own without any vaccines. Our immune systems naturally fight off the infection within one to two years. However, it is rare yet possible for this virus to develop into cervical cancer and will require surgery if it reaches this point.

There is no cure for HPV and big shot Pharmaceutical Companies: Merck and GlaxoSmithKline “have both come to the rescue with their miracle vaccines”…….Or Not!

Gardasil is the vaccine from Merck that went onto the market in 2006. If you look at the stats of cervical cancer before the Gardasil vaccine, they show cervical cancer was decreasing. Still our government spends billions and billions of dollars to administer Gardasil to our young women and girls.

Photo courtesy of www.benlansing.com

FACTS ABOUT MERK AND GARDASIL:

• Gardasil vaccine costs about $360.00 for the series of three shots. $120 for each…making it the most expensive vaccine to date.
• Merck began marketing the drug to public before the FDA even approved it. How? Merck cleverly did mass marketing through television, ads, internet etc. about HPV. Basically running a fear campaign so when they did release their vaccine…everyone would want it.
• If you already have the HPV virus, the Gardasil vaccine actually can make the existing symptoms of the virus much much worse!
  
• The vaccine is recommended for girls ages 9-25 (prime reproductive years for women) Merck targeted young women because they assume these girls are not already infected with the virus.
• After their vaccine was put on the market, Merck heavily lobbied state legislators to make their vaccine mandatory for women.
• Gardasil only protects a girl/women for 5-7 years!! Imagine a twelve year-old going to the doctor, receiving these shots and becoming sexually active around the common age of 17 or 18. All the while, thinking she’s not only safe from getting other forms of HPV but forever safe of contracting the virus at all!
• There are 32 unconfirmed deaths linked to Gardasil. Many of these cases are girls young as 9,10 and 11.
• Gardasil only protects against 4 strains of HPV. There are over a hundred different strains!
• Gardasil was put on the market (thanks to the FDA) WAY BEFORE safety testing was done. Their safety trials are actually ending now in Sept. 2009
  
• In the U.S , 41 states have agreed to fund or educate about Gardasil and HPV.
  
• Virginia has made it mandatory to vaccinate young girls with Gardasil

Women need to be very wise when dealing with the decision of getting vaccinated with Gardasil, or any vaccination for that matter. Open your eyes and realize that the people behind the giant pharmaceutical companies i.e Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer etc. main concerns is $$$. Why do you think they push these vaccines on us without properly informing the public about all the risks and complications that go along with taking the vaccine?

Anyway, I agree with health care professionals stating that the best way to prevent cervical cancer is to get a pap smear annually. Like I said earlier, if you do have HPV…it is very likely that it will clear up on it’s own. Going to the doc regularly will ensure that virus is subsiding.

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