Human papillomavirus
Page contents: Overview | Links
Overview
The community-based HPV catch-up program (delivered through general practice and community immunisation services), is provided for:
- 12-13* to 18 year old girls who have not completed their course at school; and
- 18 to 26 year old women.
The program finishes on 30 June 2009, so to be eligible for free vaccine, all females in the above age groups must have started the course with their first dose of the vaccine by 30 June 2009, and complete all 3 doses by 31 December 2009. Please administer catch-up Gardasil vaccine doses using the correct dose spacing recommended.
*Note: Eligibility is from the age of the first year of secondary school (Year 7).
HPV vaccine will continue to be provided for Year 7 girls only in secondary school from 2009 onwards as part of the National Immunisation Program schedule in Victoria.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name for a group of viruses that cause skin warts, genital warts and some cancers.
Many different types of HPV can affect different parts of the body. Some of these types can infect the genital area. Warts on other parts of the body, such as the hands, are caused by different HPV types.
HPV types that can cause genital warts or cervical cancer can be spread by direct, skin-to-skin contact during all types of sexual activity with a person who has the virus.
Anyone who has ever had sexual contact could have HPV – it is so common that four in five people will have had genital HPV infection at some time in their lives. Most genital infections with HPV do not cause any symptoms and people do not know they have the infection.
HPV infection caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 is vaccine preventable. Types 16 and 18 are linked with cervical cancer. Types 6 and 11 are associated with genital warts.
Links
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Fact sheets for parents are available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Farsi, Korean, Serbian, Turkish and Vietnamese. Fact sheets for young women in the community are available in English.