Tag Archives: vaccination

What is HPV?

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of over 150 viruses which may be spread through open-mouth kissing, intimate skin-to-skin contact, and direct sexual contact. In fact, it’s the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. One way to ensure staying HPV-free is vaccination. It’s recommended and highly-effective to be administered to kids ages 11-13 before they’ve been exposed to the virus.

Did you know?

  • 80% of Americans have had an HPV infection in their lifetime
  • 79 million Americans currently infected
  • 31,200 cases of cancer could be prevented by the HPV vaccine

While some high-risk types of the HPV virus can lead to certain cancers, including throat and cervical cancers, and low-risk types can cause genital warts, 90% of cases will clear on their own. This is largely in part to a healthy, functioning immune system!

Keep your immune system healthy:

  • Exercise
  • Sleep more
  • Minimize stress
  • Don’t smoke
  • Eat vegetables + fruit

*It is still suggested to be vaccinated since the vaccine doesn’t protect from all types of HPV.

 

If you have any questions about HPV or the vaccine, please call DFD today at 207-524-3501 to schedule an appointment.

Physical Health

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month and DFD wants to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Vaccines help prevent dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases.

How does a vaccine work?

Vaccines are made from the same germs that cause disease, but the germs in the vaccines are either killed or weakened so they won’t make you sick. Once the vaccine is injected into your body, your immune system reacts to the vaccine by making antibodies. The antibodies destroy the vaccine germs, and then stay in your body, giving you immunity if you are ever exposed to the real disease. The antibodies are there to protect you!

Why are vaccines important?

Diseases like polio are becoming very rare in the U.S. because we have been vaccinating against them. However, vaccine-preventable diseases such as whooping cough and measles are still a threat and continue to infect U.S. children—resulting in hospitalizations and deaths each year.  The spread of dangerous diseases happen when children who aren’t vaccinated spread disease to other children who are too young to be vaccinated or to people with weakened immune systems.

Check out these new videos from the National Vaccine Program Office and learn how vaccines can keep you and the people you love stay healthy.



AwarenessGeneral News