According to the CDC, nearly 13 percent of our young adults, up to the age of 19 are sexually active, increasing their risk of an STD . When it comes to STD's the girls they generally research, but the boys are quickly catching up.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

HPV, human papillomavirus, is a highly contagious.

"Ninty-eight percent of women under the age of thirty are positive for HPV, type 6 and 11 cause venereal warts, types 16 and 18 can cause abnormal pap smears," Dr. Naomi Bloomfield said.

In 80 percent of the cases the body rids the virus on its own, in the other 20 % of cases, medical treatment is needed, which can include laser, chyro therapy, or freezing or a procedure called LEEP .
While it is rare, only .1percent of the time do women get cervical cancer. A vaccine, the most popular one called Gardasil, is showing good results.

"The vaccine works very well as far as we know. The vaccine only protects against types six, 11, 16 and 18 but they are the viruses we know about that are most important," said Bloomfield.

According to recent reports, twenty seven percent of teenage girls are getting the HPV vaccine but there is a compliance problem, only 1/3 of these teenagers are getting all three doses.

"It is important before women or girls become sexually active that thee are protected from HPV virus because it is so ubiquitous among the population," said Bloomfield.

More recently boys are eligible for the vaccine.

"Initially the men were not studied with respect to the vaccine and weren't able to give them the vaccine to boys and men until recently. Often times the pediatricians are giving the vaccine to children ages 9 and 13," Bloomfield explained.