HPV is a group of viruses that spread through skin-to-skin contact. Most strains clear without notice, but some remain in the body and cause changes that lead to cancer, especially cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine targets the high-risk strains before infection occurs. Since it was introduced, infections with these strains in U.S. teens have dropped nearly 90 percent. This reduction means far fewer precancers now and many fewer cancers in the future.

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