Almost 80% of the world's population is affected by the human papillomavirus. Now more than 100 different strains of this disease are known. Fortunately, most of them are harmless. They lead only to the appearance of warts, but in no way affect the vital activity of the whole organism. But there are highly oncogenic types of HPV that are found in all those patients who have been diagnosed with cancer of the cervix, anus, external genitalia, or larynx.
Human papillomavirus vaccine
Modern researchers claim that the presence of HPV in the body does not mean that a person will have a cancer. But such a patient is at risk. After all, the virus changes the cells and makes the development of the tumor possible.
Pharmaceutical companies have developed special vaccinations that stimulate the cells of the immune system. And this does not allow viruses to penetrate the body and gain a foothold in it. Currently, patients can choose which vaccine - "Gardasil" or "Cervarix" to do. Both vaccines protect against two types of HPV, which are the main harbingers of cervical cancer and anus.
Features of the Gardasil vaccine
It should be understood that any of these vaccines is not able to cure a person of HPV. But Gardasil (vaccination) is active against 4 types of HPV. Of these, 16 and 18 strains are highly oncogenic, and 6 and 11 cause genital warts - the so-called genital warts.
It is best to be vaccinated at the age when a person has not yet managed to become infected with the indicated virus. Vaccine manufacturers recommend vaccinating children and adolescents before sex.
Scope of use
If you want to get the Gardasil vaccine, then you should know that it protects against infection with 4
types of human papillomavirus, namely 6, 11, 16 and 18. The patient can become infected with all other HPV subtypes throughout life. But they are not so dangerous. A vaccine given on time can prevent the development of dysplasia, and in some cases even cancer of the vagina, cervix, anus and external genital organs caused by the 16th and 18th types of HPV in both women and men.
If we talk about the vaccine "Cervarix", then it protects against the development of the same diseases. This is due to the fact that it is active against two types of HPV - 16 and 18.
Possible risks
More and more often now you can find information that Gardasil is a vaccination against pregnancy. According to some people, mass vaccination of children in adolescence is an insidious plan to destroy the population through its extinction. Many talk about the similarity of the use of this drug with vaccinations, which were developed by the Rockefeller Foundation and were intended to provoke miscarriages.
Opponents of vaccination also say that this is not a guarantee that the patient will not have cancer. But vaccine manufacturers only confirm the fact that their drug is designed to prevent the human papillomavirus from fixing in the body.
In addition, researchers claim that the name Gardasil vaccine was the cause of miscarriages and premature births. Vaccination, on the recommendation of the manufacturer, should be done ideally before the onset of sexual activity or to prevent complications that HPV can cause. Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about the complications or ineffectiveness of vaccination during pregnancy. Moreover, the instruction contains information that it is advisable to protect yourself from possible conception during the course of vaccination and not to carry it out if the fact of pregnancy has already been confirmed.
Application methods
There are two regimens for the administration of the Gardasil vaccine. Vaccination is done three times. If you adhere to the usual scheme, then the second injection is carried out two months after the first. And the third - even 4 months after the second. That is, the vaccination course is extended for six months.
But there is also an accelerated option. So you can enter the second dose one month after the first, and the third - three after the second. That is, the full course will last 4 months. But even if the set interval has been violated, do not worry. The course will be considered completed if three vaccinations are completed in one year.
For all age groups, the same amount of the drug is used - 0.5 ml. It is injected intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle. Injections can also be made to the upper outer surface of the mid-thigh.
The nurse making these injections should know all the rules for its use. So, before use, the disposable syringe (bottle) with the vaccine must be shaken so as to obtain a uniform turbid suspension. The dose is administered in one dose, and the injection site is treated with 70% alcohol.
If extraneous inclusions, particles are visible in the vial or syringe, its color is changed or it is not homogeneous, this indicates its unsuitability.
Required Information
Reading reviews about the Gardasil vaccine, one can often find the opinion that it does not help get rid of cancer. It really is. It is intended only for prevention against a number of diseases, among which there are also oncological ones. Also, it can not be used to get rid of any type of HPV. The meaning of its introduction is only in those cases when the patient is not yet infected with those strains with respect to which the indicated vaccine is effective. It has no effect on already active infections in the body that were caused by HPV. Also, an incomplete course cannot protect against possible infection. Therefore, the use of barrier methods of contraception during the vaccination period is mandatory. Also, do not read about the Gardasil vaccine reviews, which indicate infection with other genital infections. It is not a method of protection from other diseases.
As with any other vaccine, not all patients have an expected immune response. She showed the result in 99% of the studied people. With its introduction, the development of anaphylactic shock cannot be ruled out. Therefore, if the “Gardasil” (vaccination) is done at school, then the nurse should always have emergency treatment equipment at hand. For 30 minutes, the patient must be monitored. Most often, a reaction in the form of fainting occurs in young women and adolescents.
Complications
In addition to rare situations when an anaphylactic reaction occurs, other side effects are also possible after the Gardasil vaccine was administered. Reviews and information from the manufacturer indicate that often patients complain of itching and pain at the injection site and in the limbs, the formation of a hematoma or fever. Almost one in ten notes swelling, redness of the injection site.
Also, many patients, after he was vaccinated with Gardasil, reviews left about the appearance of fatigue, chills, general discomfort, nausea, vomiting, bronchospasm, urticaria. But to assess the reliability of this information and to establish the relationship of the described complications with the introduction of the drug is not possible.
Drug combination
If you have started the Gardasil vaccination course, subsequent injections should only be done using the indicated vaccination. It can be administered simultaneously with other drugs. A temporary break is not required if the patient needs to make a recombinant vaccine that is active against hepatitis B, meningococcus, diphtheria, whooping cough (using the cell-free component), tetanus, polio. The main thing is to enter them in different areas.
Also, as a result of studies, it was found that the use of hormonal contraceptives, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, antibiotics, vitamin complexes, steroid drugs does not affect the effectiveness and safety of the Gardasil vaccine. Vaccination has not been tested in those patients who use immunosuppressants.
Immunobiological properties
Speaking about all the possible advantages and disadvantages of the drug, many do not know how the vaccine works. It consists of highly purified proteins of the human papillomavirus 6, 11, 16 and 18 strains. In addition, the vaccine contains an adjuvant, L-histidine, yeast protein,
Polysorbate 80, sodium borate. Contrary to popular belief, the vaccine does not contain viruses (dead or alive), it contains only virus-like particles that are not able to multiply. But they allow you to get the necessary immune response.
The proteins included in the vaccine are produced by separate fermentation. Each type of virus is purified, it is adsorbed on a special adjuvant that contains aluminum. Everyone who knows the principle of action of the vaccine understands that Gardasil is a vaccination against the human papillomavirus. As a result of its use, antibodies are produced that persist for 36 months (according to some reports, they have been active for more than 8 years). But in the course of the study, the need for revaccination was not established.
Application
Gardasil (vaccination) is used in Russia quite widely. At the government level, programs have been adopted according to which girls in the Russian Federation are vaccinated for free. Vaccination is done in schools, medical centers, clinics. The government took such a step because disappointing statistics were recorded in the 2000s. In Russia, 18 women died every day from cervical cancer. And on Earth, the specified diagnosis was established every 2 minutes.
Of course, you won’t be able to completely get rid of oncology, but you can reduce the risk of developing tumors. Indeed, with timely vaccination, it is possible to prevent the development of cervical cancer, which develops as a result of changes in cells by the human papillomavirus.
Alternative remedies
You can find other drugs that can protect against the development of cancer, only if you understand why Gardasil (vaccination) is needed. From what
a vaccine helps, every gynecologist and immunologist can explain. As mentioned earlier, it is not able to cure HPV and especially cancer, but with its help it is possible to exclude the likelihood of human papillomavirus infection and the development of cancer caused by it.
An alternative is the Cervarix vaccine. For example, Gardasil (vaccination) in Ukraine appeared only in 2014. Until this time, vaccination was carried out only with the use of the drug “Cervarix”, which is active against two types of virus - highly oncogenic strains 16 and 18. True, there was no universal and compulsory vaccination in Ukraine.
Choosing between these vaccinations is best with your doctor. At the same time, do not forget that they are equally effective against HPV 16, 18 types at a time when the specified infection is not yet in the body. But Gardasil is able to protect against another 6, 11 strains that cause genital warts. This means that in a patient even after completing the full course of vaccination with Cervarix, condylomas may appear on the cervix and external genitalia. The use of the drug Gardasil excludes the development of such a scenario. But both of these vaccines are not able to protect against the mass of other strains of the specified virus.
Features of use
Before you receive the vaccine, you need to clarify the conditions for its storage. So, it should be in a cold place (from +2 to +8 0 ), into which daylight does not penetrate. But freezing it is unacceptable. The drug is suitable for 3 years, after the expiration of the specified period, it must be disposed of.
There are also a number of questions regarding the use of the Gardasil vaccine at a more mature age. So, for example, the manufacturer claims that all adolescents, regardless of gender, and women under the age of 45 can fall under the vaccination program. Although many studies suggest that vaccination after 26 years no longer gives the expected result. In most cases, this may be due to the fact that a woman at this age is already a carrier of the human papillomavirus. Therefore, vaccination cannot protect against infection and, accordingly, prevent the development of cancer.
Many experts say that regular monitoring by a gynecologist and annual cytological examination will be much more effective. It will not help prevent the disease, but it will be able to detect any changes in the early stages.
Of course, you can find information that Gardasil could not protect against cancer. Reviews indicate that even vaccinated can develop oncological diseases of the cervix, anus, vagina or external genitalia. This may be due to the fact that the vaccine protects against two highly oncogenic types of the virus - 16, 18. But in 30% of cases of cancer detection, other HPV strains are found, the infection of which could also lead to the development of cancer. Therefore, in no case can vaccination be considered a panacea for cancer. Only regular examinations by a gynecologist and a smear for cytology will allow you to monitor your health.