HPV - human papillomavirus
HPV stands for ‘human papillomavirus’, which is a group of more than 100 viruses.
HPV is very common – most people will be infected with a form of HPV in their lifetime. HPV infection is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s.
You can catch HPV by being sexually active with another person who already has the virus.
Most HPV infections do not need treatment because your body can clear the virus itself. But in some people, the HPV infection can develop into cancer or genital warts.
Cancers caused by HPV in Ireland
HPV causes 1 in 20 cancers worldwide.
High risk HPV infection is found in almost all (99%) of cervical cancers. Cervical cancer is a cancer of a woman’s cervix (the entrance to the womb).
The HPV virus also causes:
- 5 out of 10 vulval cancers
- 7 out of 10 vaginal cancers
- 9 out of 10 HPV-related anal cancers
- 9 out of 10 incidences of genital warts (you will be directed to the Sexual Wellbeing website)
Each year in Ireland:
- HPV causes 406 cancers in both women and men
- over 6,500 women need hospital treatment for pre-cancer of the cervix
- almost 300 women get cervical cancer
- 90 women die from cervical cancer
HPV can also cause cancers of the:
- mouth and throat (oropharynx)
- anus (rectum)
- penis
The HPV virus can also cause a range of pre-cancerous lesions (abnormal cells) in both men and women.
How you get HPV
You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. HPV can be passed on even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You can also develop symptoms years after you have sex with someone who is infected. This makes it hard to know when you first became infected. You may also have no signs or symptoms.
Although HPV is usually passed through sexual contact, you can also get it if you have never had sex. A mother can pass HPV to her baby during birth, but this is very rare.
HPV can be dormant (sleeping) in your body
There are usually no symptoms of HPV. You could have a HPV infection and not know it.
This makes it difficult to tell when you got the HPV infection.
For some people, HPV can stay dormant (sleeping inside the body) for years. It can then become active over time.
Having a positive HPV result does not mean your partner has had sex with someone else.
There is no need for your sexual partner to have a test done, or to have any specific treatment for HPV, if you have HPV.
Dormant HPV will not be picked up on a screening test and will not cause you problems.
If it becomes active again, it will show up on your next screening test. It can only cause you harm if it stays positive for a long time (usually over 2 years).
That is why everyone with a positive HPV result has another test done 12 months later. In most cases, it takes 15 to 20 years for persistent HPV to lead to abnormal cells and develop into cervical cancer. This is why it is safe to wait up to 5 years between cervical screening tests.
Reducing the risk of getting HPV
The most effective protection against HPV is the HPV vaccine.
HPV is spread by intimate sexual skin-to-skin contact. Using condoms can reduce the risk of catching HPV, but they don’t offer complete protection.
HPV can infect areas not covered by a condom – so condoms will not fully protect you from getting HPV.
Other steps you can take to reduce the risks from HPV:
- Engage in the national screening programme for cervical screening
- For those of who have never received the vaccine, ensuring you attend your GP for a cervical screening test as a way to identify if you have the virus.
- Even if you have had the vaccine, when you become 25 years of age, it is still advised that you attend your routine smear tests as well.
- Ensuring intimate aids are thoroughly cleaned can also help to reduce the risk.
HPV Vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against genital warts, cervical cancer and other cancers.
In Ireland, Gardasil 9 vaccine given through the school immunisation programme protects against 9 out of 10 cervical cancers.
The HPV vaccine has greatly reduced cases of pre-cancers of the cervix in young women in many countries including Australia, Sweden, the US and the UK.
In countries where the HPV vaccine is used, the number of cases of genital warts has decreased dramatically in both young women and men.
How we know the vaccine is safe
The HPV vaccine is safe. The safety of the HPV vaccine has been studied for over 16 years.
No country has raised concerns about the safety of the HPV vaccine. There is no scientific evidence in Ireland or in any other country that the HPV vaccine causes any long-term medical condition.
Vaccines are strictly monitored and reviewed regularly by international bodies including the:
- World Health Organization (you will be directed to the WHO website)
- European Medicines Agency (you will be directed to the EMA website)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA (you will be directed to the CDC website)
Gardasil 9
The HPV vaccine currently used in Ireland is called Gardasil 9. Over 100 million people have been fully vaccinated with Gardasil worldwide. This includes over 550,000 people in Ireland.
Who should not get HPV vaccine
There are very few people who cannot receive the HPV vaccine.
People should not be vaccinated if they have had an anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of HPV vaccine or any of the ingredients of the HPV vaccine.
The ingredients are Sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate.
The HPV vaccine should not be given in pregnancy.
HPV vaccine side effects
Long-term side effects
All international bodies have continually reported that the HPV vaccines used in Ireland have no long-term side effects.
Short-term side effects
Most people have no problems after the vaccine. The HPV vaccine has many of the same, mild side effects as other vaccines.
Some people have an area of soreness, swelling and redness in their arm where the injection was given. This usually passes after a day or two.
Some people may get a headache, or feel sick in their tummy or have a slight temperature. If this happens, paracetamol or ibuprofen will help.
Occasionally, some people may feel unwell and faint after getting their injection. To prevent this, when someone gets the vaccine they are asked to sit down and rest for 15 minutes after the vaccination.
Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare. School vaccination teams are trained to treat any severe allergic reaction. If you are worried, talk to a member of the school team or your GP.
False claims about the HPV vaccine
There are stories on social media claiming that the HPV vaccine causes an increase in cases of:
- postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) – an increase in heart rate that can make you feel faint and dizzy
- complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – a form of chronic pain that usually affects an arm or a leg
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) researched these claims in 2015. They found no evidence that the HPV vaccine leads to an increase in these conditions.
Patient information leaflet
The vaccine used as part of the school immunisation programme is called Gardasil 9. It is produced by MSD Ireland (Human Health).
The licensed documents for each vaccine (the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Patient Information Leaflet) are available from the HPRA Website. (you will be directed to the HPRA website)
I don't know if I am vaccinated
If you are unsure whether you have been vaccinated, you can access your records through your GP or local health office.
You can find your local office here: HSE immunisation offices (this link will take you hse.ie)
Useful information
HPV Factsheet (ESGO) (this link will open a pdf document)
HPV vaccine explained (ESGO) (this link will open a pdf document)
About immunisation in Ireland (this link will take you to rcpi.ie)
NHS (UK) article on HPV (this link will take you to nhs.uk)
Clinical Science article on HPV and links to cancer progression (this link will take you to portlandpress.com, an academic journal)
About the HPV vaccination program in Ireland (this link will take you to hse.ie)