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Canada's immunization advisory body is recommending that females between nine and 26 be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer.

In recommendations released Tuesday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) said Canadian girls aged nine to 13 who have not yet become sexually active should be immunized with Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against four strains of human papillomavirus (HPV).

The committee said females aged 14 to 26 should also be vaccinated, even if they are already sexually active or have had previous pap smear abnormalities or a previous HPV infection.

Gardasil is not recommended for girls younger than nine, for males or pregnant women, NACI said.

HPV is a common virus: an estimated 75 per cent of women will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. Some types of HPV can cause genital warts and other types lead to cancer.

HPV causes almost all cervical cancers, killing about 290,000 women worldwide, including about 400 in Canada, each year. The types of HPV against which Gardasil protects are responsible for about 70 per cent of cervical cancer and 90 per cent of genital warts.

NACI said the vaccine needs to be accompanied by public and health-care professional education on HPV as well as cervical cancer screening.

“Although vaccine recommendations are made at the national level, each province and territory is responsible for funding and determining when and how publicly funded immunization programs are introduced within their jurisdiction,” NACI's statement said.

“Prior to a vaccine being included in publicly funded programs, members of the public can access the vaccine through their physicians.”