Increase in HPV causes campus concern

Jamie Rosen Features Editor

Human papillomavirus (HPV), the number one STD on campus and in the United States, is on the rise at Vassar. The Health Service’s records indicate that the percentage of abnormal Pap smears, most of which are indicative of HPV, has increased since the 2001-2002 school year (see graph).

According to an American College Health Association pamphlet, “HPV has become an epidemic among college-age individuals.” However, many students on campus do not know about HPV and its prevalence, said intern for the Women’s Center Diana Schaffner ’07.

“From my experience from talking to students on campus and even my friends at home, it seems like many people our age are aware of chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and AIDS, and their symptoms and whether they're treatable,” she said. “But it seems like quite a few people are unsure of exactly what HPV is, what the symptoms are, and how you would go about treating it. Specifically, what I've found in students on campus is a lack of understanding the long-term consequences of HPV.”

HPV includes a family of over 100 viruses that cause infections on the skin. Approximately one-third of these viruses can cause genital warts, which are single or multiple bumps that appear in the genital area, and are sometimes cauliflower-shaped; these also cause cell changes called intraepithelial legions in the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, and anus. In a small percentage of cases, these cell changes, especially those in the cervix, can be precancerous and may lead to cancer in a few years if not detected and treated. Most cervical cancer is caused by HPV, but most people with HPV do not get cervical cancer.

Pap smears test for intraepithelial lesions in the cervix, which are often indicative of HPV. The rise in percentage of abnormal Pap smears may be partially attributed to an upgraded pap test that the Women’s Health Center began to use at the end of last year and improvements in lab technology, and some of the statistics represent repeated abnormal Pap smears from the same person, said Baldwin nurse practitioner Anne Dadarria. The general trend of the statistics, which are based on more than 400 Pap smears for each year, is probably indicative of a rise in the number of students with active genital HPV. “It is the [STD] that we see the most here on campus, and we have had an increase in it over the past few years,” Dadarria said.

The CDC estimates that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women in the United States become infected with genital HPV at some point in their lives. Because HPV is so prevalent but often asymptomatic, tests for papillomavirus itself are not in widespread use. Doctors use Pap smears and physical examinations to detect symptoms of HPV infections.

Dadarria explained that HPV infections are very treatable. At Baldwin, pap smears with abnormal cells are sent out to determine whether it is HPV and what the risk-level is. If it’s a high risk strain, doctors recommend a colposcopy, which is a directed biopsy aimed at getting deeper tissues from where the abnormal cells are. Treatment depends on the abnormalities found, and often includes regular Pap smears to see if the infection clears up on its own in lower-risk cases.

If the infection does not clear up without intervention, creams and other treatments may be necessary to remove genital warts. It is unknown how effective condoms are in preventing HPV from spreading. According to the CDC website: “HPV infection can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom...condom use has been associated with a lower rate of cervical cancer.” Yearly exams are strongly recommended for both men and women.