Why vaccinate your child? How does it work? Is the vaccine safe? We tell you everything!
What exactly are HPVs?
HPV is short for Human papillomavirus. It is a family of common viruses that are easily transmitted through casual intimate contact. Anyone can be exposed to HPV infection, regardless of their sexuality.
It is estimated that 70% to 80% of the population, men and women combined, will be exposed to HPV during their sexual life.
There are more than 200 types of HPV, but only the so-called “high-risk” HPVs are responsible for cancers: there are currently about a dozen of them. Most of the time, the infection is transient because the body spontaneously eliminates the virus. However, in nearly 10% of cases, the infection persists. It can then lead, several years later, to lesions that can then develop into cancer. These viruses can lead, several years after infection, to precancerous lesions et different types of cancer : cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, penis, ENT sphere. In France, there are 6,400 new cases of cancers linked to human papillomaviruses each year, affecting both women and men (in 25% of cases).
Also, some types of HPV can cause condylomas, small warts on the genitals. These types of HPV do not cause cancer but require long and painful treatments.
How are HPVs transmitted?
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the most common viral sexually transmitted infections. You can become infected during sexual intercourse, but not only that, simple intimate contact is enough.
Why should you vaccinate your child against HPV?
The human papillomavirus vaccine is a preventative measure, essential to effectively protect your child against infections related to the types of HPV responsible for cancers that can appear 10 to 30 years after infection. Vaccination against HPV prevents up to 90% of HPV infections that cause cancer.
Large vaccination campaigns carried out in Australia, Scotland and Sweden in particular have largely consolidated these figures. They show the effectiveness of the vaccine. These countries are even considering eradicating cervical cancer!
Who is concerned?
HPV vaccination is more effective when it is done early, before the start of sexual activity. In fact, very often, we are exposed to HPV at the very beginning of our sexual life.
This is why this vaccination is recommended for girls and boys aged 11 to 14, with a vaccination schedule of 2 doses 5 months apart.
Vaccination is also possible as a catch-up up to the age of 19 with 3 doses.
Concretely, how does vaccination work in college?
Vaccination at the college is offered to students in 5th grade. This vaccination includes two doses that will be carried out, one in the fall and the other in the spring, directly at the college by a vaccination center. Vaccination at the college is completely free. It is simple and practical since one school year = one complete vaccination.
Vaccination at college is not mandatory, and parental authorization from both parents is required. Watch a vaccination session on video here.
Is condom an effective means of prevention against HPV?
Condoms only partially protect against HPV infections. There are areas that are not covered and transmission can occur through simple caresses. For other sexually transmitted infections, condoms remain important for protection. Only vaccination is effective in protecting against HPV.
Should you get tested if you have been vaccinated against HPV?
Cervical cancer screening (also called a pap smear) remains very important and saves many lives every year by detecting and treating lesions at an early stage. It concerns all women from the age of 25, whether they are vaccinated or not (if the vaccination took place after the first intercourse, the protection it offers is lower).
However, screening does not prevent precancerous lesions (unlike vaccination), nor the physical and psychological consequences of their treatment.
So vaccination and screening are two complementary and essential means of protecting women against cervical cancer.
Is the vaccine safe? Do we have enough perspective?
With more than 15 years of experience and 300 million doses worldwide (6 million in France), the vaccine is safe. However, injecting the vaccine can cause mild side effects common to many vaccines, such as pain at the injection site or, more rarely, fever, joint or muscle pain.
How to find out more?
Go to the site vaccination-hpv-nouvelleaquitaine.fr to learn more about the vaccination campaign in middle schools in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. You can discover videos for you and your child. You also have the opportunity to ask your own questions, with a quick response from vaccination experts. And if you wish, you can access the secure platform to submit your parental authorization.
