HPV, or human papillomavirus, is an effective vaccine that immunizes us against HPV. You may remember taking the shot after your 15th birthday. That is the age when the vaccination process for HPV is initiated.
The complete vaccination of HPV is only accepted when all two to three doses are administered. A good way for parents or guardians to know the right time for vaccination is when their child is nearing the teenage years. Usually starting from age 9, the HPV vaccination begins.
So, if you are a parent or a guardian and your child is a teenager without a complete vaccination, consult their doctor.
What is HPV?
HPV is a type of virus that is specific to humans. It causes severe infections in us and can lead to long-lasting damage. One of the most common sexually transmitted viruses, it affects at least 50% of sexually active people at some point in time.
However, the immune system can get rid of the virus quickly after the infection. The problem arises when the disease does not go away after the predicted time and causes physical symptoms of a severe condition, such as warts on the genitals and related cancers.
The virus belongs to a group of 200 variants known to infect humans and cause various diseases, some of which may be lifelong.
The high and low-risk categories are what HPVs are divided into. The low-risk HPVs do not cause diseases, whereas the high-risk type can cause cancers. The common high-risk types are HPV 16 and 18.
Why Is Vaccination Needed?
Vaccination is one of the most substantial steps against infectious agents such as viruses, as usually, antimicrobials do not work on them. The antiviral agents cannot be developed as there is no target area, unlike bacterial or fungal pathogens. This is due to the ability of the viruses to undergo rapid modification, which makes targeting a specific protein difficult for scientists.
You may think, how is the vaccine developed for HPV then? The possibility of making a virus is also not limited to other viral agents. The trouble lies in developing a vaccine that effectively combats the virus inside the physiological system.
The HPV vaccine is composed of viral-like proteins produced through recombinant DNA technology. This informational resource by the FDA provides the necessary details on the HPV vaccine- Patient Information about Gardasil.
The sole purpose of vaccines is to save individuals against further infection. The HPV vaccine is necessary to prevent the condition from causing significant diseases. Vaccinating against the virus is a step towards preventing cancer. The virus or the infection causes cancer in nearly 36,000-odd men and women in the US alone. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV vaccination prevents about 33,000 HPV-associated cancers. It does so by preventing the development of infection in the first place.
Is It Necessary?
This is akin to asking, “Does the sun rise from the east?” Yes! To both questions. For something that cannot be cured using medicines, the other alternatives for such conditions are vaccines and other preventative steps.
Vaccination ensures that our immune system can fight the virus and lessen its impact when it enters our body.
Does Everyone Get Vaccinated Against The Virus?
Ideally, children between the ages of 9 and 12 years start being vaccinated against the virus, as per the physician. However, if they miss their dose in the initial window, they must get it by turning 26.
Additionally, adults within the age of 45 years are also eligible to get vaccinated against the virus to protect them from genital warts and different HPV infections that can cause cancers.
However, the age range of 27 to 46 years does not benefit from the vaccination due to their exposure to the virus, which weakens the protection.
The HPV vaccine schedule is two doses for younger individuals, six to twelve months apart. The program for older individuals within 15-45 years is a three-dose series where they must get the subsequent vaccines within 1-6 months of the first dose.
Fig: Vaccine schedule as per CDC.
Did You Know Some People Cannot Get The Vaccine As Well?
The vaccine is a mixture of proteins that confer protection against the HPV vaccine. There are chances that an individual being administered the vaccine will be allergic to the components of that vaccine. The following list of people should not get the vaccine:
- People who had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine.
- People who are allergic to any of the components of the vaccine.
- Anyone who is allergic to yeast (the vaccine has yeast proteins).
- The recipient is pregnant.
- People with moderate or severe illness.
If you are an individual who is within the age range of 27-45 years, it is recommended you consult your physician before the vaccination.
How Many Types Of HPV Vaccines Are Present?
There are three types of HPV vaccines. The Gardasil-9, which is the 9-valent HPV vaccine, Gardasil, which is a quadrivalent vaccine, and Cervarix, which is a bivalent vaccine.
The names of the vaccines have information on the types of viruses they protect against. The Gardasil-9, for example, is a 9-valent vaccine, which denotes that it confers protection against nine types of HPV. The other two vaccines protect against HPV types 16 and 18.
The Efficacy Of HPV Vaccine
The vaccine’s effectiveness is evident through the data representing its success in preventing HPV-related cancers. The CDC reports 90% efficacy of the vaccine. Since the recommendation of the vaccine in 2006, it has reduced the number of genital warts and cancers in 88% of teenage girls.
Fig: Findings of a study conducted in 2022, correlating with the CDC reports.
Moreover, precancers of the cervix were also found to have been reduced in young women. The long-term protection provided by the vaccine also ensures that the security is high for those who have been administered the vaccine. In addition, only a few reports of the protection decreasing over time- with the CDC claiming there was “no evidence.”
The long-term side effects of the HPV vaccine include:
As per studies conducted on the vaccine, the most recent being 2022, the vaccine’s most extended reported side effect was vaccine-induced seropositivity. A clinical trial reported this for the quadrivalent vaccine in a clinical trial.
What is the HPV vaccine cost?
The cost of the vaccine is $250 for each dose. However, the vaccine cost is covered by health insurance companies. There also exist programs that ensure that the vaccine is available at no cost for children under 18 years- those who are uninsured. It also includes children eligible for Medicaid and belonging to the American Indian/Alaska Native populace.
Usually, the insurance companies may pay half or more for the vaccine.
Conclusion
The article aims to educate you on the various factors of the vaccine, such as its composition, cost, necessity, and the impact of vaccination/no-vaccination. The role of HPV is recognized to be crucial in the prevention of cancers related to HPV infection. It is essential to remain updated on the vaccines necessary for your child before they turn 15. This will enhance the efficacy of the vaccine in comparison to the vaccination at later stages of life (26 or above).
Another essential factor to keep in mind is the schedule for the vaccine. The physician can guide an individual best in administering the vaccine after the initial stage of vaccination has passed.
Tl:dr: The vaccine can provide the best protection against the virus and related cancers when administered before a virus attacks the individual’s immune system.
FAQs
STDs or Sexually transmitted diseases are a group of conditions resulting from sexually transmitted infections. Microorganisms or parasites may cause infections that are transmitted through sexual contact. The infected person may or may not know they are carrying the infectious agent until they are tested or symptoms appear.
The vaccine’s efficacy is reduced for adults as they are already exposed to the virus. Usually, adolescence is the stage in life when individuals are not sexually active, and there are fewer chances of exposure to the virus.
There is no correlation between marriage and vaccination. Getting the vaccine as soon as possible is safe if it is missed during adolescence. Exposure to the virus provides some protection due to the immune system’s ‘memory’; however, the prevention of cancers is possible when
The infection may not present any signs or symptoms. However, some people may develop painless warts on their genitals or anus.
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