Almost 80% of the world's population is affected by the human papillomavirus. More than 100 different strains of this disease are now known. Fortunately, most of them are harmless. They lead only to the appearance of warts, but do not 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, vulva or larynx.
Human papillomavirus vaccine
Modern researchers argue that the presence of HPV in the body does not mean that a person will develop cancer. But such a patient is at risk. After all, the virus changes cells and makes it possible for the development of a tumor.
Pharmaceutical companies have developed special vaccines that stimulate immune system cells. And this does not allow viruses to enter 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 major predictors of cervical and anal cancer.
Features of the Gardasil vaccine
It should be understood that any of these vaccines cannot 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.
Vaccination is best done at an age when a person has not yet had time to become infected with the specified virus. Vaccine manufacturers recommend that children and adolescents be vaccinated before they become sexually active.
Use area
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. With all other HPV subtypes, the patient can become infected in the course of life. But they are not that dangerous. A timely vaccine can prevent the development of dysplasia, and in some cases even cancer of the vagina, cervix, anus and external genital organs caused by HPV types 16 and 18 in both women and men.
If we talk about the Cervarix vaccine, 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
Increasingly now you can find information that "Gardasil" is a vaccine against pregnancy. According to some people, mass vaccination of children in adolescenceage is a cunning plan to destroy the population through its extinction. Many talk about the similarity of the scheme for using this drug with vaccinations that were developed by the Rockefeller Foundation and were intended to provoke miscarriages.
Also, opponents of vaccination 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 of the vaccine "Gardasil" became the cause of miscarriages and premature births in many. Vaccination, as recommended by the manufacturer, should ideally be given prior to the onset of sexual activity or to prevent complications that HPV can cause. Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about complications or ineffectiveness of vaccination during pregnancy. Moreover, the instruction contains information that it is desirable 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.
Uses
There are two schemes for administering the Gardasil vaccine. The vaccine is given three times. If you follow 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, completeThe course will last 4 months. But even if the set interval was violated, you should not worry. The course will be considered completed if three vaccinations are completed within 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. You can also inject into the upper outer surface of the middle part of the thigh.
The nurse who makes these injections must know all the rules for its use. So, before use, a disposable syringe (vial) with a vaccine must be shaken so that a homogeneous cloudy suspension is obtained. The dose is administered in one step, and the injection site is treated with 70% alcohol.
If foreign inclusions, particles are visible in the vial or syringe, its color is changed or it is not uniform, this indicates its unsuitability.
Required information
Reading about the Gardasil vaccine reviews, you can often find the opinion that it does not help get rid of cancer. It really is. It is intended only for prevention in relation to a number of diseases, among which there are oncological ones. Also, it cannot be used to get rid of any type of HPV. The meaning of its introduction is only in cases where the patient is not yet infected with those strains for which the specified vaccine is effective. It has no effect on already active infections in the body that have been caused by HPV. Also, an incomplete course cannot protect against possible infection. Therefore, the use of barrier methods of contraception during the vaccination periodis mandatory. Also, do not read reviews about the Gardasil vaccine that talk about infection with other sexually transmitted infections. It is not a method of protection against other diseases.
As with all vaccines, not all patients have the expected immune response. She showed results in 99% of the people studied. With its introduction, situations of the development of anaphylactic shock cannot be ruled out. Therefore, if "Gardasil" (vaccination) is done at school, then the nurse should always have emergency medicine on hand. The patient must be observed for 30 minutes. The most common reaction in the form of fainting occurs in young women and adolescents.
Complications
Besides the rare situations when an anaphylactic reaction occurs, other side effects are possible after the Gardasil vaccine has been administered. Reviews and information from the manufacturer indicate that patients often complain of itching and pain at the injection site and in the limbs, the formation of a hematoma or fever. Almost every tenth notes swelling, redness of the injection site.
Also, many patients, after they were vaccinated with Gardasil, left reviews about the appearance of fatigue, chills, general discomfort, nausea, vomiting, bronchospasm, urticaria. But it is not possible to assess the reliability of this information and establish a connection between the described complications and the administration of the drug.
Drug combination
If you started the coursevaccination with Gardasil, then subsequent injections must be done only using the indicated vaccination. It can be administered simultaneously with other drugs. A temporary break is not required if the patient needs to receive a recombinant vaccine active against hepatitis B, meningococcus, diphtheria, whooping cough (using a cell-free component), tetanus, poliomyelitis. The main thing is to inject them into 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. The vaccine has not been tested in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Immunobiological properties
Speaking of all the possible advantages and disadvantages of the drug, many do not know exactly how the vaccine works. It consists of highly purified proteins of 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 how the vaccine works understands that Gardasil is a vaccine against the human papillomavirus. As a result of its use, antibodies are produced that persist for 36 months (according to some reports, they are active for more than 8 years). But the study did not establish the need for revaccination.
Application
Gardasil (vaccination) is widely used in Russia. Programs were adopted at the government level, according to which girls in the Russian Federation are vaccinated free of charge. Vaccination is done in schools, medical centers, clinics. The government took this 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.
Completely get rid of oncology, of course, will not work, 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
Finding other drugs that can protect against the development of cancer is possible only if you understand what Gardasil (vaccination) is needed for. What the vaccine helps from, every gynecologist and immunologist can explain. As mentioned earlier, it is not able to cure HPV, and even more so cancer, but it can be used to exclude the possibility of infection with the papillomavirus.human and the development of oncological diseases caused by them.
The alternative is the Cervarix vaccine. For example, Gardasil (vaccination) appeared in Ukraine only in 2014. Until that time, vaccination was carried out only with the use of the drug "Cervarix", which is active against two types of the virus - highly oncogenic strains 16 and 18. However, there was no universal and mandatory vaccination in Ukraine.
Choosing between these vaccinations is best done with your doctor. At the same time, one should not forget that they are equally effective against HPV types 16, 18 during the period 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 the patient, even after completing the full course of vaccination with Cervarix, may develop condylomas 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 the vaccine is administered to you, it is necessary to clarify the conditions for its storage. So, it should be in a cold place (from +2 to +8 0С), which does not penetrate daylight. But freezing it is unacceptable. The drug is valid 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 in later life. So, for example, the manufacturer claims that under the vaccination programall adolescents, regardless of gender, and women under the age of 45 can be included. Although many studies suggest that vaccination after 26 years of age 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, the vaccine cannot protect against infection and, accordingly, prevent the development of cancer.
Many experts say that regular monitoring by a gynecologist and an annual cytological examination will be much more effective. It will not help prevent the disease, but it can detect any changes in the early stages.
Of course, you can also find information that Gardasil could not protect against cancer. Reviews indicate that even vaccinated can develop cancer 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 detection of oncological diseases, other strains of HPV are found, infection with which could also become an impetus for the development of cancer. Therefore, in no case should vaccination be considered a panacea for cancer. Only regular examinations by a gynecologist and a smear for cytology will allow you to control your he alth.
