Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts in both men and women. The HPV vaccine is effective in preventing HPV infection and is most effective in childhood or adolescence, but adults can still benefit from it.
1. Why should adults get the HPV vaccine?
HPV infection is so common that most sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. HPV infection is usually asymptomatic, but can lead to genital warts, anal cancer, and throat cancer in both men and women.
In women, HPV infection can cause abnormal growth of cervical cells. A small number of these women will develop cervical cancer. About 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the United States, and about 4,000 women die from cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine protects against most HPV infections that cause cervical cancer. There are currently three HPV vaccines:
1. Cervarix: This vaccine protects against HPV-16 and HPV-18 infections.
2. Gardasil: This vaccine protects against four viruses, HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-6 and HPV-11, which cause 90% of genital warts are prevented, so this vaccine is often used to prevent cancers in areas such as the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis and throat.
3. Gardasil 9: This vaccine protects against HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV- 45. Infection with HPV-52 and HPV-58. These viruses are responsible for 90% of cervical cancers.
The HPV vaccine is very effective at preventing infection with the virus it targets. Injecting the HPV vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in women. Although men do not get cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine can prevent genital warts, rectal cancer and reduce the risk of infecting sexual partners.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
HPV vaccine cannot be used to treat people who are already infected with HPV.
2. Which adults are not suitable for the HPV vaccine?
The following specific groups of people are not eligible for the HIV vaccine:
1. People who have had a strong allergic reaction to the HPV vaccine;
2. People who have had a strong allergic reaction to a component of the HPV vaccine;
3. Pregnant women;
4. People with moderate or severe disease (people with mild disease can still get the HPV vaccine).
It’s unclear whether the HPV vaccine is harmful to pregnant women or babies. However, until more information is known, pregnant women are advised not to get the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine is safe for women who are breastfeeding.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
3. What are the components of the HPV vaccine?
HPV vaccine does not contain the virus itself, nor is it made from human papillomavirus. The active ingredient in the HPV vaccine is a protein similar to human papillomavirus. Manufacturers use genetically engineered bacteria to produce the protein, which is then purified and mixed into a sterile aqueous solution.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
4. What are the risks and side effects of HPV vaccination?
The HPV vaccine is very safe in clinical trials and in practice. More than 40 million units have been injected in the U.S., mostly Gardasil, which was approved for marketing in 2006. Jiadaxiu 9 was approved for sale in the United States in 2014.
From 2006 to 2014, the U.S. government received approximately 25,000 reports of side effects from the HPV vaccine. More than 90% of them are not serious. HPV vaccine side effects are usually mild:
About 1 in 10 people develop a mild fever after the injection;
About 1 in 30 people experience itching at the injection site;
About 1 in 60 people have a moderate fever.
These symptoms go away quickly without treatment. Other mild to moderate side effects caused by the HPV vaccine include:
Nausea
fainting
Headache
Arm pain
Rare serious adverse reactions include:
Coagulation
Epilepsy
Guillain Barre syndrome
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Myggic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Death
Government, academic, and public health system investigators have not concluded that the HPV vaccine causes any serious adverse events.
As of September 2015, a total of 117 deaths have been reported in the United States, but none have been determined to be related to the HPV vaccine. Therefore, the HPV vaccine was not the cause of these deaths. Deaths occur naturally in any large population, and HPV vaccination and these deaths appear to be a simple coincidence.
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