East Carolina University's student health services center is dispensing $20 iTunes gift cards to students who complete the Genital Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination cycle.
The new program, 'Knock Out HPV', provides vaccination to participants who are in good health. Apart from obtaining a $20 iTunes gift card, students, who complete the three-dose cycle, take part in a lucky draw to win an iPad2.
"The vaccine is recommended for female's ages 13 to 26 years and males 22 to 26 years old," Jennifer Williams, a university pharmacist, told Vaccine News Daily.
Carrie Beard, a first year clinical laboratory sciences major, who has already undergone the vaccination cycle, told the newspaper that she appreciates the university officials for taking precautions and spreading awareness about the risk of HPV.
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world, especially among college students. It is known to cause certain types of cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, oropharynx, throat and anus.
Around 30 to 40 types of HPV are transmitted through sexual contact and infect the anogenital region and cause genital warts.
HPV infection is known to be the cause of nearly all cases of cervical cancer. In developed countries, Papanicolaou (Pap) test is used to detect abnormal cells near cervix that may develop into cancer.
Even though, the test has reduced the number of cervical cancer, the U.S. National Cancer Institute reports this year's estimated new cases and deaths to be 12,340 and 4,030, respectively.
And every year around 490,000 cases and 270,000 deaths are reported.
Consistent infection with HPV types results in precancerous lesions and invasive cancer. The virus is also known to cause cardiovascular diseases.
HPV vaccines help prevent individuals from getting affected with HPV, especially 16 and 18 types that causes 70 percent of cervical cancer. The vaccine may also help in reducing other HPV related infections.
