Human papilloma virus (HPV)
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a family of very common viruses that are passed on during skin-to-skin contact, particularly sexual activity.
What is HPV?
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a family of very common viruses that are passed on during skin-to-skin contact, particularly sexual activity.
Most cervical cancers and anal cancers are caused by the HPV virus. HPV has also been strongly linked to a number of other cancers including cancers of the mouth and throat, vulva, vagina and penis.
There are over 100 types of HPV and most do not cause any problems. Certain types are considered high risk and increase the risk of cancer. For example, types 16 and 18 can cause cervical cancer and type 16 is common with anal cancer.
HPV types 6 and 11 are considered low-risk and cause genital warts.
Most people will get HPV infection in their lifetime. Usually the body’s immune system finds the HPV virus and resolves 9 out of 10 infections within 2 years. If you smoke or your immune system is compromised, for example if you have HIV infection, it can prevent the infection from clearing up.
If a high-risk HPV infection doesn’t clear up it can damage the DNA in our cells. This can cause cells to divide and grow out of control which can lead to cancer.
However, it’s important to remember that having HPV is not a problem in itself. Most people have had it without even knowing they had it.
What is the HPV vaccine and who can get it?
The HPV vaccine works in the same way as other vaccines. The body reacts to the vaccine by making special proteins, called antibodies, which help the immune system fight and clear the HPV infection so it can’t cause cancer.
In Ireland, the HPV vaccine is offered free of charge to all students in their 1st year of secondary school. This is because the vaccine works best for those who have not been exposed to the virus through sexual activity.
The HPV vaccine can also be given to older children, teens and adults. Ask your GP about the benefits of the vaccine if you're not vaccinated.
This includes:
- females in 2nd to 6th year of secondary school
- females under the age of 25
- males in 2nd to 4th year of secondary school
- males in 5th year who skipped Transition Year
Who can book an appointment?
You can book a HPV vaccine catch-up appointment if you are a:
- female age 16 to 24 years
- male age 16 or older who started 1st year of secondary school, homeschool or a special school between 2019 and 2021
To book a free appointment visit www.HPV.ie
The vaccine is given through injection into the upper part of the arm in two doses, six months apart, via a school-based programme. In some cases the vaccine may be given at special HSE clinics.
Two vaccines are licensed to prevent HPV infections: Gardasil and Cervarix. The HPV vaccine currently used in Ireland is called Gardasil 9, which protects against 9 out of 10 cervical cancers. This is the vaccine that is currently used in the national vaccination programme for second-level school students.
In Ireland 660,000 doses of Gardasil have been administered and over 220,000 girls have been fully vaccinated against HPV. From September 2019, boys have also been offered the HPV vaccine. This is because HPV can cause cancers and genital warts in boys too.
Over 100 million people have been fully vaccinated with Gardasil worldwide. In Ireland over 500,000 people have taken the opportunity to get fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine through the school immunisation programme.
Frequently asked questions about the HPV vaccine
The vaccine does not protect you against all types of HPV. The vaccine targets the main HPV types. If you have been exposed to the virus already, the vaccine may not protect you.
Yes. Vaccination greatly reduces the risk of getting cervical cancer but does not eliminate it altogether. There are 14 strains of HPV known to increase the risk of cancer. Vaccination protects against some, but not all, of these strains. It's important that all women, aged 25 to 65, continue to have regular cervical screening.
All women, aged 25 to 65, should continue to have cervical screening.
In Ireland, a national cervical screening programme began in 2008 called CervicalCheck. The Government funds this programme and provides free tests to anyone aged 25 to 65.
You can choose to have a free test from any doctor or nurse registered with CervicalCheck.
For more details about this service in your area, contact CervicalCheck at 1800 45 45 55 or visit cervicalcheck
The vaccine is designed to give lifelong HPV immunity to 9 strains of the virus (7 high-risk types that cause cancer and 2 low-risk types that cause genital warts).
Testing of patients who took part in trials 10 years ago has established that they are still immune.
The HPV vaccination programme is safe. HPV causes a number of cancers in men and women, in particular, cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer can be prevented through the HPV vaccination by reducing the risk of infection by HPV strains known to cause this and other forms of cancer.
There are three vaccines licensed for use in Ireland to prevent HPV infections: Gardasil 4, Cervarix and Gardasil 9.
The Gardasil 9 vaccine is the one currently used in the national vaccination programme for secondary-school-level girls. These vaccines are licensed by the Health Products Regulatory Authority and the European Medicines Agency. These agencies have strict procedures for the licensing and monitoring of all vaccines to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Similar to all vaccines some effects can occur in people getting the injection. These can include pain from the needle, some redness, swelling or itchiness on the arm where the injection is given. Very occasionally, the person getting the vaccine can have a mild headache, feel a bit tired or sick. If these effects do occur, they pass quite quickly.
Over 200 million doses of Gardasil have been distributed worldwide, either as part of national immunisation programmes or by private doctors. Gardasil is currently used in over 25 European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
In Ireland 660,000 doses of Gardasil have been administered and over 220,000 girls have been fully vaccinated against HPV.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has now reviewed the HPV vaccine safety 8 times - in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. WHO has never reported safety concerns about the HPV vaccine and in 2019 reported that there is robust evidence of HPV vaccine safety.
In November 2015 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reported on a review of HPV vaccines. This report found no evidence the vaccine was linked to chronic fatigue-like conditions.
The Irish Cancer Society’s position on the HPV vaccine is:
Every year 641 men and women are diagnosed with a HPV-associated cancer. These HPV-associated cancers claim 196 lives.
These numbers will fall substantially in the coming years, if sufficient numbers avail of the vaccination programmes that can reduce these cancer incidences and save lives.
For more information on the HPV vaccination programme, visit the HSE website.
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