ADULT

According to the 2022 guidelines by who, girls aged 15-20 should get 1 or 2 doses of the HPV vaccine and women older than 21 years of age should get 2 doses. Everyone through the age of 26 years should get their vaccine.

HPV in adults

Almost every person who is not vaccinated and is sexually active will get an HPV infection at some point in their life.

Although the vaccine works best when administered early, it’s never too late to get it.

It’s equally important for both men and women to get vaccinated in time.

In men, HPV can spread through oral or anal sex and can lead to Genital warts, penis or anal cancer. It is also considered one of the factors responsible for infections of the oropharynx (back of the throat, base of tongue and tonsils).

For males in India, HPV 9 vaccine is licensed to offer some protection against HPV-related cancers.

It includes pain, swelling or redness at the vaccine site, and dizziness or fainting sensation.

WHO recommendation for adults

Everyone between the ages of 9 and 26 should get vaccinated against HPV.

In addition to the timely vaccination of adolescent girls against HPV, the WHO recommends regular screening of women for cervical disease.

As per the recent 2022 guidelines by WHO:

  • - A one or two-dose schedule for girls aged 9-14
  • - A one or two-dose schedule for girls and women aged 15-20
  • - Two doses with a 6-month interval for women older than 21
  • - For both immunocompromised and HIV-infected individuals, a 3-dose schedule is considered necessary.