Introduction
HPV vaccine prevents infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types that are related to cause many cancers, including the following: cervical cancer in females, vaginal and vulvar cancers in females, anal cancer in females and males, throat cancer in females and males and penile cancer in males
In addition, the HPV vaccine prevents infection with HPV types that cause genital warts in both females and males. In us, about 12,000 women get cervical cancer per annum, and about 4,000 women die from it. The HPV vaccine can prevent most of those cases of cervical cancer. Vaccination isn’t a substitute for cervical cancer screening. This vaccine doesn’t protect against all HPV types which will cause cervical cancer. Women should still get regular Pap tests. HPV infection usually comes from sexual contact, and most people will become infected at some point in their life. About 14 million Americans, including teens, get an infection per annum. Most infections will go away on their own and not cause serious problems. But thousands of women and men get cancer and other diseases from HPV.
The FDA has approved the HPV vaccine. Also, the CDC has suggested it for both males and females. Experts routinely give it at 11 or 12 years aged, but it’s going to tend to begin at age 9 years through age 26 years. Most adolescents 9 through 14 years of age should get the HPV vaccine as a two-dose series with the doses separated by 6 to 12 months. People who start HPV vaccination at 15 years aged and older should get the vaccine as a three-dose series with the second dose given 1 to 2 months after the first dose and the third dose given 6 months after the first dose. There are several exceptions to these age recommendations. Your healthcare provider can offer you more information.
With any medicine, including vaccines, there’s an opportunity for side effects. These are usually mild and get away on their own, but serious reactions also are possible. Most people who get the HPV vaccine do not have any serious problems with it.
Mild or moderate problems following HPV vaccine:
- Reactions within the arm where the shot was given: Soreness (about 9 people in 10); redness or swelling (about 1 person in 3)
- Fever: mild (100°F) (about 1 person in 10); moderate (102°F) (about 1 person in 65)
- Other problems: headache (about 1 person in 3)
Problems that would happen after any injected vaccine:
- People sometimes faint after a procedure, including vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about a quarter-hour can help prevent fainting and injuries caused by a fall. Tell your doctor if you are feeling dizzy, or have vision changes or ringing within the ears.
- Some people get severe pain within the shoulder and have difficulty moving the arm where an attempt was given. This happens very rarely.
- Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction. Such reactions from a vaccine are very rare, estimated at about 1 during a million doses, and would happen within a couple of minutes to a couple of hours after the vaccination.
Who shouldn’t get the HPV vaccine or should wait?
- Anyone who has had a severe (life-threatening) allergy to a dose of HPV vaccine shouldn’t get another dose.
- Anyone who features a severe (life-threatening) allergy to any component of the HPV vaccine shouldn’t get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if you’ve got any severe allergies that you simply know of, including a severe allergy to yeast.
- Experts do not recommend the HPV vaccine for pregnant women. If you learn that you simply were pregnant once you were vaccinated, there’s no reason to expect any problems for you or the baby. Women who are breastfeeding could also be vaccinated.
- If you’ve got a light illness, like a chilly, you’ll probably get the vaccine today. If you’re moderately or severely ill, you ought to probably wait until you recover. Your doctor can advise you.
