- What is HPV - human papillomavirus?
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and has more than 200 types identified so far. These include low cancer risk types (causing warts) and high cancer risk types (cancer of the cervix, penis, vagina and vulva, certain oropharyngeal tumors, cancerous lesions of the anus).
- How common is HPV infection and how is it spread?
Almost everyone experiences HPV infection during their life, the infections are approx. However, in 10% it becomes permanent, which is responsible for short and long-term complications. Viral infection is most often asymptomatic, so it can spread unnoticed during sexual contact (but it can also be transmitted by hand). Natural infection does not develop a lasting immune response.
- How common are cancers caused by HPV?
The most common disease caused by HPV is a benign but unpleasant symptom: genital warts, which can affect every 10th person> during his life. On the other hand, cancer caused by HPV is much rarer. In Hungary, thousands of cancers caused by HPV are diagnosed every year. The most common of these is cervical cancer, of which approx. 1,200 new cases arise and 400-500 deaths can be linked to it. Nearly 30% of cancers caused by HPV affect men.
- What is the role of HPV in the development of the above tumors?
99% of cervical cancers, 70% of vaginal cancers, 85% of anal cancers, 60% of vulva tumors, 54% of penile tumors, and 80% of mid-pharyngeal tumors can be linked to high-risk HPV for infection.
- How are cancers caused by HPV treated?
In the early stages of the disease or in the pre-cancerous state, the lesion can usually be easily removed with minor surgery, which is why regular medical check-ups and the regular use of screening tests, for which tumors are available (e.g. cervical screening: over the age of 25, gynecological screening at least every 3 years) recommended).
- What is a genital wart?
A genital wart (condyloma) is a lesion that occurs mostly on the genitals, the perineum, and around the anus, affecting both women and men. 90% of the time it is caused by HPV types 6 and 11. Its treatment can be long-lasting and painful, and frequent recurrences can be expected. The treatment is carried out by physical or chemical procedures, but the surgical removal of the growths may also become necessary.
- How can we protect ourselves against HPV infection, HPV-caused cancers and genital warts?
A HPV a leggyakoribb szexuális úton terjedő megbetegedés és a gumióvszer sem jelent tökéletes védelmet. A méhnyakrák elleni védelemnek 2 pillére van, a HPV elleni védőoltás és a rendszeres szűrővizsgálat.
- What should you know about the HPV vaccine?
What should you know about the HPV vaccine? The 9-component HPV vaccine is currently available in pharmacies, which contains the L1 components of the most common HPV types that cause warts (HPV6, 11), as well as the L1 proteins of 7 more high-risk, cancer-causing strains (HPV16 , 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58). The vaccine does not cause disease, it only contains a certain component of the virus.
The 9-component HPV vaccine is recommended from the age of 9 for active immunization against the following diseases caused by HPV: caused by the HPV types found in the vaccine, cancerous lesions and malignant tumors affecting the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus and genital warts caused by specific HPV types.
Based on epidemiological studies, the 9-component HPV vaccine is expected to provide protection against those HPV types, which account for approximately 90% of cervical cancer, HPV-related vulvar cancer 85-90% of cases, HPV-related vaginal cancer 80-85% of cases, 90-95% of HPV-related anal cancercases and cause 90% of genital warts.
Dosage of the 9-component HPV vaccine:
At the time of the first injection, for persons 15 years of age and older, the vaccine should be administered based on a 3-dose vaccination schedule (months 0, 2, 6). The second dose should be administered at least one month after the first dose, and the third dose at least 3 months after the second dose. All three doses must be administered within one year.
If someone is infected, it does not mean automatic and permanent protection: once someone has been infected with a particular strain of HPV, they can be infected again with the same type, even if the body has already overcome that infection.
The vaccine does not cure an existing infection, precancerous conditions, cancer or genital warts, but it can protect against other high-risk HPV types or re-infection.
A prior HPV test is not required to administer the vaccine, and the HPV vaccine can also be used in the event of a positive HPV test. If the result of the HPV test is positive, the vaccine can still protect against other HPV types or against re-infection with the same type after the infection has spontaneously healed.
The vaccine provides the most effective protection if it is given before the start of sexual life, which is why the vaccine is widely used in national immunization programs in the preadolescence age group. However, according to the recommendation of the ACIP (USA, a company that develops vaccination recommendations), it is also worth getting vaccinated against HPV for those who are infected with HPV or who have already developed a cancer-preventing condition. The reason for this is that although the majority of infections are temporary, no permanent immunity develops after natural infection, so the viruses can be caught again and again, i.e. HPV diseases can develop in all age groups .
According to the Hungarian "Adult Vaccination Schedule Recommendation", the HPV vaccine is recommended for all sexually active adults, regardless of gender, up to the age of 54, based on individual consideration.
9+1 Safety
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been regularly analyzing the safety data of HPV vaccines since 2007. According to their 2017 report, HPV vaccines are extremely safe (because no other serious side effects were found during the study period, apart from the very rare anaphylaxis and fainting).
Sources:
1 https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
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5 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/human-papillomavirus-(hpv)-and-cervical-cancer
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