Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in India.
There are about 40 types of HPV. About 20 million people in the U.S. are infected, and about 6.2 million more get infected each year. HPV is spread through sexual contact.Most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms, and go away on their own. But HPV is important mainly because it can cause cervical cancer in women.
HPV is also associated with several less common types of cancer in both men and women. It can also cause genital warts and warts in the upper respiratory tract.More than 50% of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at sometime in their lives.There is no treatment for HPV infection, but the conditions it causes can be treated.
Why is HPV vaccination recommended?
- One out of 4 women who die of cervical cancer is from India.
- every seven minutes one woman dies of cervical cancer in India.
- Cervical cancer kills roughly 67,477 Indian women annually.
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been detected in 99.7% of all cases of Cervical Cancer worldwide.
- This is the highest level of the associated pathogen known to be a major cause for a human form of Cancer.
- HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for82%of cervical cancers in India.]
HPV Vaccination offers the best possible protection against cervical cancer.
What are HPV virus strains against which Cervical Cancer vaccine offers protection?
The quadrivalent vaccine* available in India targets four strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) — HPV-6, 11, 16, and 18. Both have 70% efficacy against Cervical cancer. [HPV-16 and HPV-18 account for about 70% of all cervical cancers.HPV-6 and -11 cause about 90% of genital warts.]
Is there an Age limit for HPV vaccination in India?
HPV vaccination is recommended for all sexually active adults. In India, it can be given until age 45. The best time is between 9-13 years of age before they become sexually active. This is because the effectiveness of vaccines would depend on whether or not you are already exposed to cervical cancer-causing HPV virus strains.
Once a woman becomes sexually active she may be exposed to one or more strains of HPV and although Vaccination can be taken still be taken (there are no side effects of HPV vaccine), it may not guaranty protection if she is already infected with HPV 16 or HPV 18. But since there are other strains of HPV, The vaccine will offer her protection against the other strains.
According to various studies, women in the 55-65 age group are at the highest risk of cervical cancer. However, many women have been known to have fallen prey to it in their 30s and even in late 60s.
How to get vaccinated against HPV?
The quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Gardasil) needs to be taken thrice within a span of 6 months. The second shot is two months after the first shot and the third booster dose is 6 months after the first dose.
What is the best time for married women to “Catch Up” with HPV Vaccination?
For married women with no previous immunized against HPV, they would have to visit gynaecologists for initial screening which would decide whether the Vaccination will be of any help or not. HPV vaccination cannot be taken during Pregnancy, and if you plan to take it before pregnancy you need to keep in mind that it would take 6months to complete the Vaccination schedule. To this effect, Post-Partum offers the best opportunity to doctors for HPV vaccination for women. Results [1] indicate that acceptance and compliance to vaccination are best after Delivery and it is absolutely safe to take it during lactation.
Who should not take HPV vaccine?
- Anyone who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to yeast, to any other component of HPV vaccine, or to a previous dose of HPV vaccine should not get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if the person getting the vaccine has any severe allergies.
- Pregnant women should not get the vaccine. The vaccine appears to be safe for both the mother and the unborn baby, but it is still being studied. Receiving HPV vaccine when pregnant is not a reason to consider terminating the pregnancy. Women who are breast feeding may safely get the vaccine.
What are the risks from HPV vaccine?
HPV vaccine does not appear to cause any serious side effects.However, a vaccine, like any medicine, could possibly cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of any vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small.Several mild problems may occur with HPV vaccine:
- Pain at the injection site (about eight people in 10)
- Redness or swelling at the injection site (about one person in four)
- Mild fever (100 F) (about one person in 10)
- Itching at the injection site (about one person in 30)
- Moderate fever (102 F) (about one person in 65)
Should the vaccine be given to women who are already infected with HPV or have cervical cell changes?
CDC recommends that women who have an HPV infection and/or an abnormal Pap test result that may indicate an HPV infection should still receive HPV vaccination if they are in the appropriate age group because the vaccine may protect them against high-risk HPV types that they have not yet acquired. However, these women should be told that the vaccination will not cure them of current HPV infections or treat the abnormal results of their Pap test (20).
Although HPV vaccines have been found to be safe when given to people who are already infected with HPV, the vaccines do not treat infection. They provide maximum benefit if a person receives them before he or she is sexually active (21).
It is likely that someone exposed to HPV will still get some residual benefit from vaccination, even if he or she has already been infected with one or more of the HPV types included in the vaccines.
At present, there is no generally available test to show whether an individual has been exposed to HPV in the past. The currently approved HPV tests show only whether a woman has a current infection with a high-risk HPV type at the cervix and do not provide information on past infections.
What is the dose schedule of HPV Vaccine?
The vaccine is given in a 2 or a 3 dose schedule depending on the age of the patient.
For age 9- 14 years – 2 doses at 0 month and 6 months.
Foe ages 15 to 45 years- 3 doses at 0 month, 1 month and 6 months.
Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.
