Cervical screening and HPV vaccination HPV types other than those included in the current vaccines can cause cervical cancer. Therefore, both cervical screening and HPV vaccination are recommended. Women aged 25–70 years are recommended to have HPV testing every 5 years, with exit testing at 70–74 years.
HPV vaccine is recommended for routine vaccination at age 11 or 12 years. (Vaccination can be started at age 9.) ACIP also recommends vaccination for everyone through age 26 years if not adequately vaccinated when younger.
HPV vaccination is not recommended for everyone older than age 26 years. Some adults age 27 through 45 years who were not already vaccinated might choose to get HPV vaccine after speaking with their doctor about their risk for new HPV infections and possible benefits of vaccination for them.
The Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine is now approved to include men and women ages 27 to 45. Originally approved for ages 9 to 26, Gardasil 9 protects against the nine strains of HPV that are responsible for the majority of HPV-related cancers and diseases, including genital warts.
Males and females ages 9 to 45 can get the vaccine
In fact, patients 15 and older should receive three shots over the course of six months to receive the same benefit. The bottom line: All males and females ages 9–26 should get the HPV vaccine. It is most effective when given at ages 11–12.
HPV (human papillomavirus) infection in women during or after menopause may actually be an infection that was acquired when they were younger.
Even if you've been infected with one type of HPV, it may not be too late to help protect yourself from certain cancers caused by other types of the virus covered by the vaccine to which you haven't been exposed to yet.
ACIP does not recommend HPV vaccination for adults older than age 26 years. ACIP recommends HPV vaccination based on shared clinical decision making for individuals ages 27 through 45 years who are not adequately vaccinated. [1] HPV vaccines are not licensed for use in adults older than age 45 years.
The HPV vaccine was originally approved for females ages 9 through 26. Now, men and women up to age 45 can get vaccinated. US health officials have expanded the recommended age range for people receiving the HPV vaccine to protect against several types of cancer to people in their mid-40s.
What about people older than 26? The HPV vaccine is most effective in early adolescence, but this starts to decrease by age 18. Because of this, it is unlikely to provide much benefit for cancer prevention as people get older. The ACS does not recommend HPV vaccination for persons older than age 26 years.
Women older than 26 are legally allowed to get the shot, but it's at their doctor's discretion. Since it's an "off-label" use, health insurance generally won't cover it, and it's costly. Some doctors will agree to provide it, some won't.
Catch-up HPV vaccination is now recommended for all persons through age 26 years. For adults aged 27 through 45 years, public health benefit of HPV vaccination in this age range is minimal; shared clinical decision-making is recommended because some persons who are not adequately vaccinated might benefit.
Nearly everyone will get HPV at some point in their lives. More than 42 million Americans are currently infected with HPV types that cause disease. About 13 million Americans, including teens, become infected each year.
HPV peaks in young women around age of sexual debut and declines in the late 20s and 30s. But women's risk for HPV is not over yet: There is sometimes a second peak around the age of menopause.
Although most people clear HPV within 2 years, the virus can stay in your body for many years – even decades – without causing any problems. That means you may never know you had it.
“If you are married, monogamous, and 35 — there's probably no reason to run out and get the HPV vaccine. But if you're dating and having new partners, and are at risk for acquiring new infections, it would be worth having a discussion with your provider,” Eckert said.
Studies suggest that HPV vaccines offer long-lasting protection against HPV infection and therefore disease caused by HPV infection. Studies of the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines have followed vaccinated individuals for more than 10 years and have found no evidence of protection decreasing over time.
HPV vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program through school-based programs for children aged 12-13.
Even if you already have one strain of HPV , you could still benefit from the vaccine because it can protect you from other strains that you don't yet have. However, none of the vaccines can treat an existing HPV infection. The vaccines protect you only from specific strains of HPV you haven't been exposed to already.
Age restrictions: The HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) is suitable for children over the age of nine, and women and men up to the age of 45. Additional precautions: Use a condom every time you have sex to reduce the chance of catching HPV as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Even if you have already been infected with the type of HPV that causes genital warts, you can still protect yourself against the types that can cause cancer since you may not be infected with those types yet. If you get vaccinated now, it won't protect your partner, though.
Yes, vaccinated women will still need regular cervical cancer screening because the vaccine protects against most but not all HPV types that cause cervical cancer. Also, women who got the vaccine after becoming sexually active may not get the full benefit of the vaccine if they had already been exposed to HPV.
Two strains of HPV, types 6 and 11, cause 90 percent of these warts. Only about 1 percent of sexually active Americans have noticeable genital warts, which require treatment to prevent the spread to other genital areas and to sexual partners.
Is there testing for HPV in Men? No, there is currently no approved test for HPV in men. CDC does not recommend routine testing (also called 'screening') for HPV in men. CDC also does not recommend routine testing for diseases from HPV before there are signs or symptoms in men.