How You Can Get Hpv
HPV which stands for Human Papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted virus that you can catch from an infected person through:
- sexual activity, including oral sex
- intimate skin-to-skin contact with an infected person
You don’t have to have intercourse to get HPV.
Without immunization, three out of four sexually active Canadians will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives.
Who Should Not Have The Hpv Vaccine
While the papillomavirus vaccine is beneficial and works well to prevent HPV cancer in the future, there are a certain group of individuals who should avoid taking the vaccine. The main reason being that they may find the vaccine to do more harm than good. Here is a list of people who should avoid taking the human papillomavirus vaccine.
What Are The Risks Of A Vaccine Reaction
- Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot is given can happen after HPV vaccination.
- Fever or headache can happen after HPV vaccination.
People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination. Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, or have vision changes or ringing in the ears.
As with any medication, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.
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How Many Doses Of Hpv Vaccine Are Needed
The HPV vaccine is given as a series of shots. ACIP specifies different dosing schedules, depending on the age when the vaccination series is started . Children who start the vaccine series before their 15th birthday need only two doses to be fully protected. People who start the series at age 15 or older and people who have certain conditions that weaken the immune system need three doses to be fully protected.
Researchers are currently investigating whether a single dose of HPV vaccine might be effective. See What research is being done on strategies to prevent HPV infection?
How Do I Obtain The Vaccine Do I Need To Pay For The Vaccine
The provision of free medications, vaccines and health services is a decision that is made within each province and territory. Please check with your provincial/territorial public health department. If you or your child is not eligible for HPV vaccination under an immunization program, you can speak with your healthcare provider if you wish to purchase the vaccine.
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How Does The Hpv Vaccine Work
Gardasil has been the HPV vaccine used in the NHS vaccination programme since 2012.
Sometime during the 2021 to 2022 academic year, the HPV vaccine used in the NHS programme will switch to Gardasil 9.
Gardasil 9 protects against 9 types of HPV: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. Between them, types 16 and 18 are the cause of most cervical cancers in the UK . Types 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 cause an additional 15% of cervical cancers.
These types of HPV also cause most anal cancers, and some genital and head and neck cancers.
HPV types 6 and 11 cause around 90% of genital warts, so using Gardasil 9 helps protect girls and boys against both cancer and genital warts.
HPV vaccination does not protect against other infections spread during sex, such as chlamydia, and it will not stop girls getting pregnant, so it’s still very important to practise safe sex.
Immunogenicity Efficacy And Effectiveness
Immunogenicity
HPV vaccine is highly immunogenic. More than 99% of vaccine recipients develop an antibody response to vaccine HPV types after completing a 3-dose series. In immunocompetent, non-HIV infected individuals 9 to 14 years of age, a 2-dose schedule of HPV2, HPV4, or HPV9 vaccine is as equally immunogenic as a 3 dose series in individuals 15 to 24 years of age. The immune correlates of protection against HPV infection are unknown.
Efficacy and effectiveness
In Canada, immunization against HPV types 16 and 18 contained in HPV2, HPV4 and HPV9 vaccine can prevent approximately 70% of anogenital cancers and 60% of high-risk precancerous cervical lesions. Immunization against HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 contained in HPV9 vaccine could further prevent up to 14% of anogenital cancers and 30% of high-risk precancerous cervical lesions. Immunization with either HPV4 or HPV9 vaccine can prevent approximately 90% of genital warts.
HPV vaccine has no proven therapeutic effect on existing HPV infection. Prior infection with one or more vaccine HPV types does not diminish vaccine efficacy against other vaccine HPV types. The duration of protection following HPV vaccination is not known. Clinical trial subjects have been followed for approximately 10 years for HPV2 and HPV4 vaccines with no evidence of waning protection.
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Why Is The Hpv Vaccine Given At Such A Young Age
HPV infections can be spread by any skin-to-skin contact and are usually found on the fingers, hands, mouth and genitals.
This means the virus can be spread during any kind of sexual activity, including touching.
The HPV vaccine works best if girls and boys get it before they come into contact with HPV .
So getting the vaccine when recommended will help protect them during their teenage years and beyond.
Most unvaccinated people will be infected with some type of HPV at some time in their life.
The virus does not usually do any harm because the person’s immune system clears the infection.
But sometimes the infection stays in the body for many years, and then it may start to cause damage.
What Are The Benefits Of The Hpv Vaccines
In women who have never been infected with HPV, the vaccines prevent almost 100% of cases of cervical cancer caused by the HPV types covered by the vaccines.
The HPV9 vaccine also prevents about:
- 78% of cases of anal cancers in men caused by the two main types of HPV
- 90% to 100% of cases of genital warts in men and women caused by 2 other types of HPV
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What Is It Like To Get An Hpv Vaccine
First, you will have to find a clinic around you that provides HPV vaccine and make a reservation. I got mine at a clinic in Chitose Funabashi station. A simple google search will lead you to one!
On my reservation day, I took my health insurance card , vaccination card, and prevaccination screening questionnare. You will get the questionnaire at the clinic when you get the first dose if you are non-eligible for the publically funded vaccination. .
Once you arrive at the clinic, you fill in an online form called the vaccine Q diary, which is an online system for those who get the Gardasil 9 vaccines that manage patient information.
There were some technical difficulties with the online form for me, but the doctor contacted the company right away and they solved the problem quite smoothly.
I was led into the doctors office and was asked to sit on the bed instead of the chair.
Since I have an underlying medical condition and take several medications for it, the doctor went through a quick confirmation of it. He also checked whether I was vaccinated for covid, and when I got it.
I got the shot on my upper left arm.
The HPV vaccine hurt a little more than a usual vaccine since it is an intramuscular injection, but it was super quick and bearable.
After that, I was asked to lay on the bed for about 30 seconds, and once they checked that I was okay I went back to the waiting room, where I waited 30 minutes.
How Can You Reduce Your Risk Of Hpv
Although the Gardasil vaccine is considered very effective, it is also important to use condoms correctly every time you have sex to reduce your chances of getting the virus. Keep in mind that HPV can infect areas of the body that condoms do not cover, which means they cannot provide complete protection. Being in a mutually monogamous relationship is another effective way of reducing your risk.
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Why Is The Hpv Vaccine Recommended
HPV can cause some types of cancer and genital warts. The vaccine is an important way to prevent infection and the spread of HPV. It works best when given before someone might be exposed to the virus.
The HPV vaccine doesn’t protect against all types of HPV. So people who are sexually active should always use condoms. Girls and women should see their gynecologist regularly and get pap smears as recommended .
Select Safety Information For Gardasil 9
GARDASIL ®9 is contraindicated in individuals with hypersensitivity, including severe allergic reactions to yeast, or after a previous dose of GARDASIL 9 or GARDASIL® .
Because vaccinees may develop syncope, sometimes resulting in falling with injury, observation for 15 minutes after administration is recommended. Syncope, sometimes associated with tonic-clonic movements and other seizure-like activity, has been reported following HPV vaccination. When syncope is associated with tonic-clonic movements, the activity is usually transient and typically responds to restoring cerebral perfusion.
Safety and effectiveness of GARDASIL 9 have not been established in pregnant women.
The most common local and systemic adverse reactions in females were injection-site pain, swelling, erythema, and headache. The most common local and systemic reactions in males were injection-site pain, swelling, and erythema.
The duration of immunity of GARDASIL 9 has not been established.
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What Are Hpv Vaccines
HPV vaccines protect against infection with human papillomaviruses . HPV is a group of more than 200 related viruses, of which more than 40 are spread through direct sexual contact. Among these, two HPV types cause genital warts, and about a dozen HPV types can cause certain types of cancercervical, anal, oropharyngeal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal.
Three vaccines that prevent infection with disease-causing HPV have been licensed in the United States: Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix. Gardasil 9 has, since 2016, been the only HPV vaccine used in the United States. It prevents infection with the following nine HPV types:
- HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts
- HPV types 16 and 18, two high-risk HPVs that cause about 70% of cervical cancers and an even higher percentage of some of the other HPV-caused cancers
- HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, high-risk HPVs that account for an additional 10% to 20% of cervical cancers
Cervarix prevents infection with types 16 and 18, and Gardasil prevents infection with types 6, 11, 16, and 18. Both vaccines are still used in some other countries.
Does Health Insurance Pay For The Hpv Vaccines
Insurance plans will probably cover the HPV vaccine cost if it is given according to national guidelines. But check with your insurance plan to be sure.
The vaccines are included in the federal Vaccines for Children program. This program covers vaccine costs for children and teens who dont have insurance. The VFC program provides free vaccines to children and teens younger than 19 years of age, who are either Medicaid-eligible, American Indian or Alaska Native, or uninsured.
The VFC program also allows children and teens to get VFC vaccines through federally qualified health centers or rural health centers. For more on the VFC program or to find the VFC contact where you live, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/contacts-state.html, or call 1-800-232-4636.
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What Are The Risks If The Vaccine Is Not Received
HPV infection is very common, and while most HPV infections go away by themselves, those that persist are more likely to develop into cancer.
At least one in 10 Canadians will develop genital warts in their lifetime, and though warts caused by the virus can be treated, they are difficult to remove and often come back after treatment. Genital warts spread to two-thirds of people who come into contact with them and have significant psychosocial impact in those who are affected.
Can A Vaccine Help Prevent Hpv
Yes. Vaccines are available to help prevent infection by certain types of HPV and some of the cancers linked to those types. As of 2020, Gardasil 9 is the only HPV vaccine available in the United States. Other HPV vaccines are available outside the U.S.
All of these vaccines help prevent infection by HPV-16 and HPV-18. These 2 types cause most cervical cancers and pre-cancers, as well as many cancers of the anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and throat.
Gardasil 9 helps prevent infection by 4 types of HPV , plus 5 other high risk types: 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. Together these types cause about 90% of cervical cancers.
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What Are The Side Effects
Many people have no side effects from the vaccines. For those that do, common side effects may include soreness, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given. Fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle or joint ache may also occur. As with other vaccines, fainting has occurred following HPV vaccination. Fainting can occur with any medical procedure – not just the HPV vaccine and people recover quickly.
It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is a very rare possibility, between one in 100,000 and one in a million, of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips. Should this reaction occur, your health care provider is prepared to treat it. Emergency treatment includes administration of epinephrine and transfer by ambulance to the nearest emergency department. If symptoms develop after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
It is important to always report serious or unexpected reactions to your health care provider.
The Hpv Vaccine Can Combat Multiple Cancer Types In Women And Men
Researchers have identified over 200 types of human papillomaviruses, but only 12 are recognized as carcinogens associated with many types of anogenital cancer, including cervical and anal cancers, as well as head and neck cancers that can affect the tongue, mouth, and throat.
Although most HPV infections will not lead to cancer, 60% to 70% of head and neck and most anogenital cancers involve HPV. However, over 90% of cervical and anal cancers are related to HPV infections, with a majority caused by two types of HPV. As with other oncoviruses, various factors increase the risk for progression to cancer. For example, people with HPV infections may be at increased risk for cervical cancer if they smoke, have an HIV infection, use birth control pills for a long time, or give birth to three or more children. Fortunately, most types of cervical cancer are not hereditary.
In 1983, Harald zur Hausen showed that HPV genes integrated into host cells cause cervical cancer. This discovery allowed the development of improved screening tests and new vaccines. Worldwide, 3 prophylactic HPV vaccines are available that differ by the number of HPV types they target. In the US, only one vaccine is available, which the CDC recommends for children ages 11 to 12, although vaccination can occur as early as 9 years old and as late as 45 years old.
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Ask Your Doctor Which Vaccine Theyre Giving You
The types of HPV the different vaccines protect against vary:
- The HPV bivalent vaccine will only protect against HPV 16 and 18.
- The HPV quadrivalent vaccine will protect against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18.
- The HPV 9-valent vaccine, recombinant can prevent HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.
Since Gardasil 9 protects against a much wider spectrum of HPV strains without a noted increase in side effects or adverse reactions, this choice offers more protection against HPV.
Common side effects of the Gardasil 9 vaccine is irritation at the injection site, including pain, swelling, or redness. Some people may have a headache following the injection.
Gardasil Hpv Vaccine 2022
Merck’s Gardasil vaccine consists of 4 proteins of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, yeast protein, sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate, and water.
The U.S. FDA initially approved Gardasil for use in the USA on June 8, 2006, and a final approval letter was issued on April 24, 2015. Gardasil is approved for females 9-26 years of age to protect against cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers caused by Human Papillomavirus -and-cervical-cancer#:~:text=Two%20HPV%20types%20 types 16 and 18 and genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11.
The U.S. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended a routine 3-dose vaccination series for girls 11 and 12. The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women ages 13 through 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or received all three doses. Studies show that in women who have never been infected by HPV types 6, 11, 16, or 18, the vaccine is highly effective, both in preventing precancerous lesions that often develop into cancer of the cervix, vagina, and vulva and in preventing genital warts caused by these HPV types.
Gardasil is endorsed by the WHO, which says HPV vaccines prevent cervical cancer by preventing infection by various HPV types. Unfortunately, Gardasil is not available in the USA. Gardasil 9 is the featured HPV vaccine in the USA.
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What You Say And How You Say It Matters
Physicians give consistent, strong recommendations for the HPV vaccine. A physicianâs recommendation is the single best predictor of vaccination. It is recommended that physicians âbundle,â and not single out the HPV vaccine in discussions with patients on the importance of receiving vaccinations. The bundling approach has been shown to normalize and increase acceptance of the HPV vaccine, and demonstrate the importance of the HPV vaccine. The current HPV immunization schedule is provider and patient friendly, and is consistent with adolescent well visits. More talking points can be found on the CDC website.