HPV Vaccine

[SmileyEyes]

HPV Vaccine

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I was wondering whether anyone knows more about the HPV Vaccine (human papilloma virus vaccine)? And whats in it?

I found a couple of sites and found that there could be potentially two vaccines 1. for people havent yet contracted the virus (non sexually active people) and 2. those you have had sex because they feel basically anyone whos had sex has a strain (one of 30 out there) of this virus (yuck)!

As im against vaccines I am wondering about HPV, other remedies available (other than the quoted 100% successful vaccine in preventing cancer) etc.

Basically your thoughts on the subject?

[Bessysmum]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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I found this article the other day that may answer some of those questions.

http://abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1490302.htm

As for HPV, I was under the impression that your body can get rid of it if the immune system is strong enough.....like years after initial infection. Or does it just stay dormant? I'm not sure. Anyone know?

[Bessysmum]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Just to answer my own question on clearance:

http://www.hpvforum.com/hpv-clearance.asp

I'm interested as I was HPV +ve at the time I had CIN II 9 years ago and every pap smear since has been clear.

I think better education should be a priority over vaccination.

[SmileyEyes]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Thanks Hollie...



Interesting the Professor of Westmead Millenium Institute for Medical Research admits the vaccine would only trigger the antibody response...like most vaccines to my understanding.



Planter warts I read are a HPV and both my brother and I suffered from these as kids! I was under the impression they can come back therefore the virus can lay dormant. But don’t know for sure???

I feel its quite concerning that anyone who has had sex will have contracted a form of HPV...

[SmileyEyes]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Missed your second post sorry...

I dont really know what you mean by "I was HPV +ve at the time I had CIN II 9 years ago" sorry

Great link thanks and makes me feel a little better...

So if what this sites states is true why are they bothering with introducing a vaccine?? Apart from a money spinner for the manufacturers...

[Bessysmum]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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CIN (the II is the grading)is a pre cancerous condition on the cervix usually caused by HPV infection. There are lots of different strains of HPV, some cause visible warts in various areas of the body and some do nasty things on a cellular level. I had the latter. The CIN was treated and I have had clear Pap smears ever since....ie no CIN and no HPV.

I didn't know when I became sexually active that HPV is implicated in cervical cancer so that's why I think education about the issue is incredibly important.

[TianaKaeSha]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Many forms of HPV are considered invisible. The warts do not necessarily react with everyone.

When I contracted it in 2001 I was told (and my research at the time agreed) that a quarter of all sexually active people have HPV, and over 80% of sexually active people had been exposed to it (but had not necessarily contracted it). It sounds as though the stats have increased dramatically - and it would not suprise me.

Of the 30 odd varieties of HPV, only a handfull of them seem to react to the cervical cells. something like 4 or 5 of the strains. Of those strains, one appears to be more common in cervical dysplasia, another is a rapid moving one (this one I was lucky *cough* enough to have).

It is believed that almost all forms of cervical cancer are linked to HPV, but often that person may never know they have had it because they have had an invisible strain.

So I would want to know if the vaccine worked with all of the strains of HPV - or just the specific ones that cause Cervical Cancer. If that is the case then if everyone started vaxing against HPV, would the invisible strains mutate and start causing the same problems?

I have not had HPV warts since I had the CIN, but I do not know that I am HPV clear. I was always lead to believe that I would be a carrier of the virus long after the warts have gone... but was also told it is possible the warts never return...

(HPV and CIN are somewhat pet hobbies of mine... I need a life)

[SmileyEyes]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Heres a good site guys

There are over 100 HPV types.

-About 30 of these types are sexually transmitted and cause genital HPV.

-Genital HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact, not through an exchange of bodily fluid.

-Genital HPV cannot be entirely prevented by condom use.

-This virus is often asymptomatic -- people usually don't know they have it.

-About 5.5 million new genital HPV cases occur each year -- this is about 1/3 of all new STD infections.

-About 20 million people -- men and women -- are thought to have an active HPV infection at any given time.

-Nearly three out of four Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 have been infected with genital HPV in their lifetime.

-HPV can be contracted from one partner, remain dormant, and then later be unknowingly transmitted to another sexual partner, including a spouse.

-Though usually harmless, some types cause cervical cancer.

-About 14,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year.

-Over 5,000 women each year die of cervical cancer in the United States.

-The best way to screen for cervical cancer is a Pap test, which may be done alone or in combination with an HPV DNA test.

-The AmericanCollege of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that sexually active women and women age 21 and older should have an annual gynecologic exam in addition to Pap tests at regular intervals (the frequency of Pap tests can vary depending on a woman's age and the type of Pap test being done).


Thanks for claifying Hollie! But what is CIN. You both say you had CIN is this another term for HPV?

I have had pap smears which are clear so does that mean I dont have HPV? In which case only when a pap smear comes up as adnormal with the cause being HPV the case?

Also TianaKaeSha according to Hollies link http://www.hpvforum.com/hpv-clearance.asp the virus should have been taken care of by the bodys immune...

[Bessysmum]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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CIN = Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Its a pre cancerous condition of the cervix where cells start to grow abnormally due to certain strains of HPV.

Pap smears can come up as abnormal for lots of reasons. HPV and/or CIN being one of them.

[SmileyEyes]

Re: HPV Vaccine

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Thanks Hollie!

So it seems that HPV can be naturally cleared by the body after a few years...

I still cant work out why they want to introduce the vaccine...