Questions About How Hpv Vaccine Is Made And Works
Q. How long does it take for someone to be protected after getting the HPV vaccine?
A. It takes about two weeks after the first dose of vaccine for the immune system to generate an immune response. The additional doses make that response stronger, particularly the last one which fortifies the memory response.
Q. If I got the HPV vaccine, do I need to use protection?
A. It is important to understand that the HPV vaccine does not protect against other STDs, such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes, nor does it protect against types of HPV to which one was already exposed. For these reasons, using protection is still prudent to consider.
I have had one dose of the HPV vaccine. Will I be protected if I become sexually active?
While you may have some protection after receiving the first dose of HPV vaccine, your best level of protection will occur after you receive all recommended doses.
I did not tell the doctor that I am sexually active before getting the HPV vaccine. Will it still work?
The HPV vaccine will not protect you against types of HPV to which you may have already been exposed however, it will protect you against types to which you were not previously exposed. Since the vaccine protects against nine types of HPV, it is likely that you can still benefit from receiving the vaccine. For this reason, knowing your sexual activity status is not a requirement for deciding whether or not you should get the HPV vaccine.
Will an HPV booster shot ever be required?
How Long Will The Vaccine Prevent Hpv Infection
How long a vaccine will protect people is never known when the vaccine is first introduced. Current research shows that the vaccine is effective, and theres no sign that the protection decreases with time. Research will continue to look at how long protection against HPV lasts, and if booster shots will be needed.
Are There Other Ways To Prevent Cervical Cancer
Regular cervical cancer screening and follow-up can prevent most cases of cervical cancer. The Pap test can detect cell changes in the cervix before they turn into cancer. The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes. Screening can detect most, but not all, cervical cancers at an early, treatable stage. Most women diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. have either never been screened, or have not been screened in the last 5 years.
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Whats The Hpv Vaccine
The HPV vaccine helps protect you against certain types of HPV that can lead to cancer or genital warts. Also known by the brand name Gardasil 9, the HPV vaccine protects against:
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HPV types 16 and 18 the 2 types that cause 80% of cervical cancer cases.
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HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts cases.
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Another 5 types of HPV that can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vulva/vagina, penis, or throat.
The HPV vaccine is given in a series of shots. For people ages 15-45, the HPV vaccine is 3 separate shots. The second shot is given 2 months after the first, and the third shot is given 4 months after the second shot. So, in all, it takes about 6 months to get all 3 shots.
For people ages 9-14, you only need to get 2 shots. The second shot is given 6 months after the first shot.
Protecting Against Hpv Through Immunization
Health Canada has authorized three vaccines to prevent infections from the most common types of HPV: Gardasil®, Gardasil®9 and Cervarix® . All three vaccines are safe and very effective in preventing HPV infection and changes in the cells of the cervix related to these types of HPV.
Studies have found HPV vaccines to be safe. Other than a brief soreness at the injection site, participants reported few side effects. The vaccines cannot cause disease because they contain no live biologicals or DNA and are thus not infectious. Also, the vaccines do not contain any preservative or antibiotics, including thimerosal or mercury. It is important to note that Cervarix® contains a special new adjuvant/additive which studies have also shown to be safe.
If you are infected with one type of HPV you can still benefit from the HPV vaccine. It can protect you against other strains of the virus. Unfortunately, even if you are vaccinated, you are still at risk for some types of HPV not covered by the vaccine. It is important that women who receive the vaccine still have regular Pap tests and practice safer sex.
None of the HPV vaccines have an impact on an existing infection or any consequences of infection that you may already have. Talk to your doctor for more information.
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About What Percent Of All Cervical Cancer Cases In The Us Are Caused By Hpv
Each year, about 12,000 women in the U.S. get cervical cancer. Nearly all of those cases are associated with HPV. Beyond cervical cancer, HPV also causes 7,000 cases of cancer each year in men. HPV is also the most common cause of genital warts. About 1 in 100 sexually active adults has genital warts at any one time.
When Should You Be Vaccinated
The vaccines are given 2 or 3 times over a 6- to 12-month period. The timing of doses is important to make sure the vaccines are as effective as possible. If all doses of the vaccine are not given, or they are not given at the right time, you may not get the full benefit of the vaccine.
The vaccines are most effective if theyre given before a person becomes sexually active because their risk of infection will be lower. The vaccines are also more effective in young teens when the immune system is most responsive to the vaccine.
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What Are The Risks And Side Effects Of The Hpv Vaccine
In clinical trials and in real-world use, the HPV vaccine appears to be very safe. More than 40 million doses of the vaccine — mostly Gardasil, which was approved in 2006 — have been given in the U.S. Gardasil 9 was approved in 2014 and is now the only HPV vaccine available in the U.S.
From 2006 to 2014, there were about 25,000 reports to the government of HPV vaccine side effects. Over 90% of these were classified as nonserious. The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are minor:
- About one in 10 people will have a mild fever after the injection.
- About one person in 30 will get itching at the injection site.
- About one in 60 people will experience a moderate fever.
These symptoms go away quickly without treatment. Other mild-to-moderate side effects resulting from the HPV vaccine include:
Could The Hpv Vaccine Treat Warts
04 September 2015
The human papillomavirus vaccine is intended to prevent people from getting infected with the virus, but in some cases, it may actually work as a treatment, clearing warts in people who are already infected, a new report suggests.
The report describes several cases of people who had persistent oral warts that went away soon after they received the HPV vaccine. While it’s too early to say for certain whether the HPV vaccine treated the warts, the researchers said formal studies should look at this question.
“There remains a critical need for randomized clinical trials to assess efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccination for treatment” of oral warts, the researchers said.
The report highlights the case of a man in his 60s who had recurrent warts on his lips, tongue and cheeks for 18 months. The man tried to have the warts removed, but they kept coming back. Doctors diagnosed the man with an HPV infection. There are more than 150 strains of HPV, and although most infections go away on their own, some can linger and lead to health problems, such as genital warts, oral warts, cervical cancer or oral cancer.
The man received the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which protects against four HPV strains. “We immunized him not with any therapeutic benefit in mind,” Stern said. The vaccine is typically given to children before they become sexually active it is not thought to help with existing HPV infections.
Now, two years later, the patient is still free of oral warts.
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What Is Hpv Vaccine
HPV vaccine helps protects against a virus that causes several cancers that can affect anyone. These include cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus in women, or cancers of the anus and penis in men, and possibly throat cancers for both men and women. The vaccine is also effective at preventing genital warts.
- The vaccine works by causing your bodys immune system to produce its own protection against the HPV types most likely to cause cancer or genital warts.
- If an immunised person comes into contact with HPV, the antibodies in their blood will fight the virus and protect them against being infected.
- It usually takes several weeks after vaccination to develop protection against HPV.
Protection from the vaccine is long-lasting and is not expected to wear off over time.
What Is In The Hpv Vaccine
The HPV vaccine used in the New Zealand Immunisation Programme from 2017 is Gardasil® 9. The vaccine contains HPV virus-like particles of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. These particles are proteins from the outer shell of the virus. The VLPs do not contain DNA fragments in a form that could allow them to infect cells or reproduce. The particles mimic the HPV virus so that the immune system makes antibodies against it. These recombinant types of vaccine have been used around the world for over 20 years.
Each 0.5ml dose of the vaccine also contains a small amount of aluminium, which stimulates the immune response. Aluminium has been safely and effectively used in vaccines for more than 70 years. The vaccine also contains tiny amounts of sodium chloride , L-histidine , Polysorbate 80, sodium borate and sterile water.
The vaccine does not contain preservatives, antibiotics or any human or animal materials.
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Who Should Not Get The Hpv Vaccine
People should not get the HPV vaccine if they:
- Are pregnant.
- Have had severe reactions to any ingredients in the vaccine or to a previous dose of the HPV vaccine.
Tell your healthcare provider about any severe allergies you have, including yeast or latex allergies. People with moderate to severe illnesses may be asked to wait to get the vaccine until they are well.
Should Girls And Women Be Screened For Cervical Cancer Before Getting Vaccinated
Girls and women do not need to get an HPV test or Pap test to find out if they should get the vaccine. However it is important that women continue to be screened for cervical cancer, even after getting all recommended shots of the HPV vaccine. This is because the vaccine does not protect against ALL types of cervical cancer.
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Can I Get Treated For Hpv Or Health Problems Caused By Hpv
There is no specific treatment for HPV, but there are treatments for health problems caused by HPV. Genital warts can be treated by your healthcare provider, or with prescription medication. HPV-related cancers are more treatable when diagnosed and treated promptly. For more information, visit www.cancer.orgexternal icon.
How Is The Hpv Vaccine Given
The HPV vaccine is given as 2 injections into the upper arm spaced at least 6 months apart.
It’s important to have both doses of the vaccine to be properly protected.
If you missed the HPV vaccine offered in school Year 8, you can get it for free up until your 25th birthday.
But if you get your 1st vaccine dose at the age of 15 or over, you’ll need to have 3 injections.
Men who have sex with men , and trans men and trans women who are eligible for the vaccine, will need 3 doses of the vaccine .
If you need 3 doses of the vaccine:
- the 2nd dose should be given at least 1 month after the 1st dose
- the 3rd dose should be given at least 3 months after the 2nd dose
It’s important to have all 3 vaccine doses to be properly protected.
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Gardasil For Girls: Male Protection Too
Rates of genital herpes and chlamydia — both sexually transmitted diseases — did not decline.
Why were men protected? The Australian vaccination program offered free Gardasil to females, but males had to pay. As a result, fewer than 5% of Australian men have been vaccinated.
Only exclusively heterosexual men saw some protection. Vaccination of young women resulted in enough “herd immunity” to reduce, but not eliminate, HPV spread among men, suggests study leader Basil Donovan, MD, professor of sexual health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Donovan and colleagues note that HPV can cause anal cancer and may aid the spread of HIV, the AIDS virus. For these reasons, they suggest that future HPV prevention programs should consider vaccinating males as well as females.
The fact that genital warts cases did not decline further may be due to the half-million “backpackers” — young people who visit Australia each year, says Donovan.
Many of these young visitors have been vaccinated against HPV, but a significant proportion of those women may have received the GlaxoSmithKline’s Cervarix HPV vaccine. Like Gardasil, Cervarix protects against the two HPV strains that cause most cases of cervical cancer. But unlike Gardasil, Cervarix does not protect against the two HPV strains that cause most genital warts.
The Donovan study appears in the Nov. 9 online edition of The Lancet.
Can Getting The Hpv Vaccine Help If I Already Have Genital Warts
Can vaccination for HPV virus help someone who already has genital warts? Will it help to protect my partner? Mel*
Getting the HVP vaccine is definitely still a good idea for you. That’s because there are different types of HPV some that cause warts, and others that cause cancer. Even if you have already been infected with the type of HPV that causes genital warts, you can still protect yourself against the types that can cause cancer since you may not be infected with those types yet.
If you get vaccinated now, it won’t protect your partner, though. But your partner can be vaccinated too. People of all genders should be vaccinated against HPV to help prevent the spread of the disease.
Even if you and your partner have both been vaccinated, always use condoms for any type of sex . Condoms help prevent the spread of the types of HPV that are not covered by the vaccine. And, of course, condoms also help protect against other sexually transmitted diseases .
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
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What Are The Hpv Vaccine Ingredients
The HPV vaccine contains no viruses and is not made from human papillomavirus. The active ingredients in the HPV vaccine are proteins that are similar to those found in the human papillomavirus. Genetically modified bacteria produce the proteins, which are then purified and mixed into a sterile, water-based solution.
How Can I Prevent Hpv
Vaccines are available that can protect against the most common types of HPV that cause cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that Canadians get vaccinated to reduce their risk of HPV-related cancer.
Get vaccinated or have your children vaccinated through school-based programs where available. If you are not eligible for a free vaccination, talk to your doctor about which vaccine is right for you and when you should have it.
If you are sexually active, use a condom and other barriers safely to help protect against HPV.
Condoms or other barriers such as an oral dam can reduce HPV infection if put on before skin-to-skin sexual contact. However, areas not covered by these barriers still allow some skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Using these barriers will reduce but not eliminate the risk of HPV infection.
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Are There Hpv Vaccine Side Effects
Research shows that the vaccine is safe. The most common side effect is temporary pain and redness where you get the shot.
One of the reasons the HPV vaccine is controversial is because it prevents a sexually transmitted infection, which leads some people to believe its inappropriate for children. But, the thing is, the vaccine works best if you get it long before you have sex. So its a good idea to get it when youre young so you wont have to worry about getting certain kinds of cancer later in life.
Studies show that the HPV vaccine doesnt lead to people having more sex or sex at a younger age. So giving kids the HPV vaccine doesnt encourage them to have sex. All it does is help protect them from genital warts and cancer in adulthood.
How Long After Receiving The Hpv Vaccine Does It Take For The Vaccine To Work
The immune system takes one to two weeks to generate immunity to vaccines or infections. In the case of HPV vaccine, the first dose generates a primary immune response, so people will have some immunity, but protection can vary from one person to another. The last dose is important because it enhances the memory immune response. A person will have the greatest protection beginning about one to two weeks after receiving their last dose of the vaccine.
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