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City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito Tweets HPV Low Grade Dysplasia, '#Whew'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Whew!

That was City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's reaction to learning the results of a biopsy following her diagnosis of high-risk human paillomavirus, or HPV.

"Just got off phone with my [gynecologist] who gave me results," Mark-Viverito Tweeted. "Have low grade dysplasia but no cause for concern and no other action needed."

She added "#whew."

Mark-Viverito, 45, took to Twitter Sunday to disclose she has the common sexually transmitted disease, which can lead to cancer. She said that she went public with her diagnosis to raise awareness and destigmatize  HPV.

A recent study found HPV vaccine remains effective longer than originally thought. Previous research suggested the vaccine lasted about four years, but the new study from Georgia Regents University finds children were still protected from HPV eight years after being vaccinated, CBS 2 reported.

The CDC recommends all children ages 11 and 12 be vaccinated for HPV. The vaccine has been shown to prevent infection if it is given before a person is exposed to the virus.

HPV is so common that most sexually active men and women will get at least one type of the virus at some point, according to the CDC. In most cases HPV goes away on its own.

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