12. How does the vaccine work ? The vaccine is a Virus–like particles [ VLPs ], it has the outer capsid of HPV and looks morphologically similar to The virus, it is highly immunogenic and can generate neutralizing antibodies that can prevent infection in subsequent exposure. In addition, they are not infectious by themselves as they don’t have the oncogenic viral DNA core. Diagrammatic representation of (HPV) virion and an HPV -VLP demonstrating structural similarity without the oncogenic viral DNA core Electron micrograph of HPV16 L1 VLPs. www.freelivedoctor.com
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15. www.freelivedoctor.com Schedule : : Vaccination will be most effective if introduced prior to onset of sexual activity; therefore, the target will be girls of 12&13 years old. The vaccine is given by injection into the muscle of the upper arm or upper thigh in three doses over six months. Minor side-effects like soreness at the injection site and fever can occur. Rarely it can cause joint pain and urticaria and very rarely bronchospasm. The protection offered by the vaccines lasts at least five years but is probably life long. At the moment boosters are not thought to be needed.
16. www.freelivedoctor.com Will the HPV vaccine replace cervical screening programme ? The vaccine protects against 70 per cent of cervical cancers that is caused by HPV-16 &18 and still there is chance of developing the cancer due to other HPV strains like 31,33,35,39,45,51,56,58,59,68,73 and 82. Therefore, for the moment, adult females should continue to rely on Pap smear tests and it seems probable that this will be so for at least the next 20 years because the majority of women already have HPV infection before the vaccines are induced.
17. www.freelivedoctor.com Developing countries: In many developing countries which lack organized screening programmes, cervical cancer is the leading cause of female cancer deaths. Such countries would benefit enormously from an effective HPV vaccine. The draw back of the vaccine is that it is expensive, 3 doses are needed and it is administered by injection. Therefore, a second generation HPV vaccines are required that can be produced more cheaply and to be administered as a single dose.
18. www.freelivedoctor.com Conclusion: Its really looks like that the use of HPV vaccines is the beginning of the end for HPV-associated diseases in women. Vaccines by themselves are safe and effective, however, the real benefit of a vaccination programme will take 10-20 years to be realized.