Vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) infections was added to the vaccination calendar in 2007. Infection with HPV that causes uterine cancer is transmitted through sexual intercourse.
Over the course of a lifetime, approximately 70% of sexually active women become infected with HPV. In the majority of infected young women (70-90%), the body’s immune defenses handle the infection themselves. In the remaining cases, the virus can persist and cause cervical cancer years or decades later. Every year, about 6500 women in Germany develop cervical cancer.
In addition, since genital warts (condylomata acuminata) and also other cancers (e.g. anal, penile or oropharyngeal carcinomas), which also occur in men, are triggered by HPV, vaccination also makes sense in the male population. This also serves to prevent the transmission of HPV viruses to sexual partners.
Vaccination: inactivated vaccine, injection into the muscle. The vaccine contains particles that resemble the surface proteins of the HPV virus (virus-like particles). These particles themselves have no pathogenic properties. The vaccine protects against 9 HPV subtypes and contains subtypes 16 and 18, which are predominantly responsible for cancer.
Who should get vaccinated?
- All girls and boys aged 9 to 17 years.
- Women and men who have not received HPV vaccination within this period may also benefit from HPV vaccination later. It is the responsibility of the supervising physician, after individual assessment of the benefits and risks of vaccination, to advise his patients on the basis of the vaccine approval.
Timing of vaccination:
Vaccination should be completed with 2 or 3 doses, depending on age, before the first sexual intercourse, if possible.
Common vaccine reactions:
Fever, pain, redness and swelling at the injection site. Itching and bleeding at the injection site.
What else needs to be considered? HPV vaccination cannot replace the offer of gynecological screening. These are still required at the same spacing as before.