HPV, or human papilloma virus, is nothing more than an infection caused by viruses primarily transmitted through sexual contact. Someone can often be a carrier of HPV without even knowing it.
There are about 100 types of known HPV, and of these, 13 can cause cervical cancer. Some types of HPV can cause the so-called “genital warts”, which, although not directly linked to cancer, make it necessary to perform a diagnostic test to detect the presence of an HPV infection in the cervix.

In most cases, when the body comes in contact with HPV, after a few months, is able to eliminate the virus. In some rare cases, the virus is not eliminated, therefore, there is a real risk of developing cervical abnormalities that may develop into cancer. Initially, the lesions that develop do not have a high degree (LISL) and only in 15% of cases do they become more aggressive lesions (HSIL). There are frequent cases of spontaneous regression, linked to the level of a woman’s immunity.

Thanks to the DNA-PAP test, it is possible to identify the types of high-risk HPVs before they cause noticeable changes in the cells of the cervix.
This test, therefore, allows you to identify which women may be potentially at risk of developing cervical cancer.
The test is done by taking a sample of cells from the cervix in the same manner of the Pap Test.

As a prevention of cervical cancer in women aged 30 years and over, it would be ideal to perform the Pap Test (preferably with thin-layer cytology) and the HPV Test. A combined approach helps to detect 97% of the most serious diseases of the uterine cervix. The HPV Test helps to highlight, among the anomalies that emerge from the Pap Test, which ones will disappear on their own and which ones could become a more serious threat.
If the two tests were negative, the chances of developing cancer of the cervix would be reduced to a minimum. Therefore, it would be prudent to perform a series of tests over a period between 3 and 5 years. In accordance with the guidelines established by the Italian Society for Colposcopy, and other international organizations, the HPV Test should always be performed in order to check up on each treatment for pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix, and in all cases where the outcome of the Pap Test is questionable (ASCUS).

For vaccinations against HPV, at this particular age, the World Health Organization considers it to be a positive for the following reasons:

• It improves the effectiveness of vaccinations at an age in which sexual activity has not yet begun
• The immune response to vaccination is better
• It avoids giving the vaccine during pregnancy
• Since the girls at this age are involved in a number of prevention programs, there is a greater possibility of participation in a treatment involving 3 doses

As already mentioned, the ideal time to administer the vaccine is when the immune system responds better, and in the earlier onset of sexual activity. Yet despite this, the vaccine is also very useful in cases where the woman already has an active sex life, as it is however unlikely that she has been infected by all strains of oncogenic papillomavirus with respect to those in whom the vaccine has already proven effective.

Before receiving the vaccination, no type of test is required.

As the exposure to the virus is possible in the course of a sexually active life, vaccinations may still be useful as a preventive measure. In order that an oncogenic papillomavirus produces the desired effects, it is necessary that the infection is persistent for a long period of time. It is not at all uncommon that the first result of the HPV is positive and then negative: this means that the immune system has defeated the infection and that the vaccine should be effective enough to avoid the risk of contracting other infections that, over time, may become chronic.

This vaccine is specifically designed for women. And it is in their bodies that these lesions can lead to tumors, while in the case of man’s penis, cancer is rather rare. It is incumbent on medical professionals to vaccinate those most at risk, and thus women. Keep in mind that the costs of a male vaccination would be rather high. The goal is the maximum vaccination coverage that reduces, if not eliminated, the spread of high-risk human papillomavirus.

The protection provided by vaccinations does not differ from that of other vaccines. As evidenced by the data, the effective protection of the vaccine lasts for many years. According to the clinical trials, it is guaranteed, as also in the case of other vaccines, that if in subjects being vaccinated, they were to see a decrease in the effectiveness, then a booster vaccination would be required.

The risks associated with vaccinations against HPV do not differ from those observed with other more common vaccines. To date, this vaccine has been used by millions of women (> 50,000,000 doses in the world) without the occurrence of health or safety problems. In some cases, many women reported suffering pain at the site of the inoculation, on the shoulder, and then sometimes there were reports of swelling and redness. However, these disorders seem to disappear very quickly. In other cases, there may be some fever, but this also usually disappears very quickly. More rarely than not, certain digestive noises may be heard, followed by diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Even in these rare cases, the symptoms disappear quickly and require no additional medications. Once vaccinated, a woman cannot be infected by the HPV virus because its active ingredients are fairly similar to those of the HPV virus itself. Therefore, it cannot cause disease. On the contrary, it can only provoke the production of specific antibodies to combat the HPV virus.

The effectiveness of the vaccine is very high (90-100%), among women who have not yet contracted the virus, such as the prevention of pre-invasive lesions of high-grade (CIN2 / 3) caused by HPV 16 and 18, which cause more than 70% of cervical cancers. The effectiveness of the vaccine is high even against strains similar to those of the papilloma virus, expanding the effectiveness of the vaccine protection to exceed 70% of the cases treated.

Undergo a regular Pap test is important because despite the fact the vaccination protects against the main causes of cervical cancer, it does not protect against all oncogenic HPV types, and therefore means having to undergo regular Pap Tests. Both the vaccination and screening are the most effective methods for the prevention of carcinoma of the cervix.

Undergo a regular Pap test is important because despite the fact the vaccination protects against the main causes of cervical cancer, it does not protect against all oncogenic HPV types, and therefore means having to undergo regular Pap Tests. Both the vaccination and screening are the most effective methods for the prevention of carcinoma of the cervix.

Performing vaccinations during pregnancy is not advisable, the HPV vaccine is no exception unless otherwise recommended by a specialist.