A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looking at the prevalence of HPV infections in girls before and after the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006 found a significant reduction of 56% in infections among female teenagers aged 14 to 19.

About 79 million Americans, most in their late teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV, and each year about 14 million become infected.

The CDC recommends that routine HPV vaccinations of three shots over 6 months begin at age 11 to 12 for both boys and girls. The vaccine is also recommended for older teens and young adults who were not vaccinated when they were younger. ■