Common Questions and Answers Regarding HPV

Are there any harmful side effects from the HPV vaccine?

There are no current studies that show any side effects from the vaccine.

What, exactly, does the vaccine protect us against?

The vaccine only protects against (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18. There are many other strains that could cause genital warts and cervical cancer, but these four are the most prevalent.

Who does the vaccine benefit the most?

Women who have not yet become sexually active. (Note: HPV can sometimes be passed through oral sex.)

What if you have been sexually active?

There is a high chance that you have been exposed to one of the HPV strains. If you are exposed to any one of the strains that the vaccine protects from, then the vaccine is useless.

Does a Pap test detect HPV?

No. A Pap tests only for cervical cancer and abnormal cells. A separate test for HPV must be administered if a Pap comes back abnormal. The results can then be negative or high- or low-risk positive. Almost 99 percent of abnormal Pap smears are caused by HPV.

So there is no way to know what strand of HPV you have?

A positive test will list a number of strains a patient may have but doesn’t tell you exactly what type.

Can you be too young or too old to get the vaccine?

The general rule (as set by the makers of the vaccine) is as young as 12, and up to 35. But it is less about age and more about sexual activity and practices.

After the the initial series of three shots, do women need to come back again for another vaccination?

Right now, booster shots are not required for the HPV vaccine.

What else should women keep in mind?

There is no treatment or “cure” for the virus. You must get your yearly Pap test, with or without the vaccine.

Source: Dr. Arjang Naim, a Los Angeles-based OB-GYN and The Press-Telegram

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