HPV and Men

[+ Funguy]

I had a patient come in on a Friday for his check up and first set of shots (age 2 months) and the parents were going to go away for the weekend (with kid) and wanted to come back the following week for the shots - in case the baby did have some fever and irritability after them (common).

So - no shots. Lo and behold, that nite the baby had a seizure and was subsequently diagnosed with a severe neurological condition leading to retardation and death at a very young age. Imagine if the baby had gotten the vaccines! More fuel for anti-vaxxers.

This particular known condition generally hits babies at the 2-4 month age, just when vaccines are given. Guess what gets the blame.

[gallahadesquire]

I had a patient come in on a Friday for his check up and first set of shots (age 2 months) and the parents were going to go away for the weekend (with kid) and wanted to come back the following week for the shots - in case the baby did have some fever and irritability after them (common).

So - no shots. Lo and behold, that nite the baby had a seizure and was subsequently diagnosed with a severe neurological condition leading to retardation and death at a very young age. Imagine if the baby had gotten the vaccines! More fuel for anti-vaxxers.

This particular known condition generally hits babies at the 2-4 month age, just when vaccines are given. Guess what gets the blame.

 

What is this particular known condition I think you mean "infantile seizures", but I'm not a neurologist nor a pediatrician, so I'm clueless.

[+ Funguy]

What is this particular known condition I think you mean "infantile seizures", but I'm not a neurologist nor a pediatrician, so I'm clueless.

 

Yes . . . Infantile seizure disorder!

[KeepItReal]

HPV vaccine was only approved for men and women up to the age of 26 for 2 reasons:

1. That's the upper age used the the vaccine studies;

2. It was/is thought that once you have reached about that age you have been exposed to HPV and therefore the vaccine would prove to be useless. The big flaw is that there is a huge population of men and women who have or had been in a true monogamous relationship all of their sexual lives and have therefore NOT been exposed. What happens when the partner is no longer in the picture and these people enter the "dating pool"?

 

Simple example: the 70 year old woman whose husband has passed away after >50 years of marriage (and no cheating) - she has always been HPV negative. She dates, is lucky enough to find another guy to be her next husband. He, however, has been out and about and very sexually active for 20 years, happens to be positive for HPV and gives it to her. Now her PAP smears are abnormal, she winds up with cervical cancer caught in the early stages and requires surgery. Also, think Michael Douglas, the actor, his throat cancer was linked to HPV and he was not shy in admitting it.

 

Gay men, on the other hand, have never been mistaken for monogamous at any age and guess what! Yep - HPV has found a home here, too.

 

Just get the damn vaccine!

It is my understanding that the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approved HPV vaccine for those older than 26 through 45 during their June meeting. This means that most insurance plans will now cover this vaccine - if they don't you will have grounds for appealing the decision. As the man said: Just get the damn vaccine!

 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recommendations.html

Edited July 25, 2019 by KeepItReal

[Quincy_7]

Does anyone know how protected you'd be after the first shot alone. I've had the first of three shots. Could I still get HPV because I haven't had all three shots yet?

[+ FrankR]

Does anyone know how protected you'd be after the first shot alone. I've had the first of three shots. Could I still get HPV because I haven't had all three shots yet?

I read about a study in India some years ago that indicated that the immune response for those that receive two shots (teenagers) or three shots (adults) was superior to those that only received 1 shot. The study was done in India as the shots are expensive for those in developing countries and they wanted scientific evidence. Sticking to the schedule approved by the CDC was shown to result in greater protection over a longer period of time.

 

Australia conducted a similar study and had similar results from what I recall: one shot provides protection/immune response but protection will not be as effective on all strains or last as long. “Lacks persistency” was the exact conclusion.

 

To answer your question: no vaccine can protect you 100% even if you stick to the 3 shot schedule. But if you want maximum protection you should stick to the 3 shot schedule.

 

Caveat: I am not a medical professional, just a geek that reads a lot. Do consult a medical professional on what is best for your health.

 

If I can find a link to the studies mentioned, I will edit my post and include.

Edited July 25, 2019 by FrankR

[manTOman]

From what I know there are three shots, but you have to take them a month or so apart. Maybe even longer. As @FrankR said, the first one will make you immune to some strains but the second one will boost that much further. The third from what I get is mostly a booster shot to insure a long time protection. I might be wrong about this one.

 

However, the shots are not retro active, meaning they don't cure you of the strains you've already been exposed to. Pretty much we all carry HPVs and they spread easily through any kind of sexual contact. That's why it's suggested you get all the shots in your teens or prior to becoming sexually active. So while it's strongly recommended to get these shots, you need to be aware that they only protect you from the strains you haven't been exposed to yet.

[gallahadesquire]

My HepB vaccination was the last Harvard study. I had virtually no response after the second shot, but the THIRD took me to a 1:3200 (or maybe 3600) response. They said it was good. I’ve since seroconversion to negative, and they’ve never figured out what to do with that, as the original vaccine (human derived) isn’t available anymore.

[Quincy_7]

I read about a study in India some years ago that indicated that the immune response for those that receive two shots (teenagers) or three shots (adults) was superior to those that only received 1 shot. The study was done in India as the shots are expensive for those in developing countries and they wanted scientific evidence. Sticking to the schedule approved by the CDC was shown to result in greater protection over a longer period of time.

 

Australia conducted a similar study and had similar results from what I recall: one shot provides protection/immune response but protection will not be as effective on all strains or last as long. “Lacks persistency” was the exact conclusion.

 

To answer your question: no vaccine can protect you 100% even if you stick to the 3 shot schedule. But if you want maximum protection you should stick to the 3 shot schedule.

 

Caveat: I am not a medical professional, just a geek that reads a lot. Do consult a medical professional on what is best for your health.

 

If I can find a link to the studies mentioned, I will edit my post and include.

 

i was asking because I wanted to know if I should refrain from seeing anyone until I have my third shot.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

i was asking because I wanted to know if I should refrain from seeing anyone until I have my third shot.

 

 

I've had my HPV vax for awhile and agree with what was said above, just get the damn thing.

 

After seeing what male friends have gone through when it flares up, it's worth the time and trouble to protect yourself.

[KeepItReal]

i was asking because I wanted to know if I should refrain from seeing anyone until I have my third shot.

 

This:

 

No vaccine can protect you 100% even if you stick to the 3 shot schedule. But if you want maximum protection you should stick to the 3 shot schedule.

 

http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/Immunization/images/hpvfactsad_2018_small.jpg

[Quincy_7]

My question was should I stop having sex until after the third shot. I've had my first shot and I obviously intend to complete all three doses. I just want to know if I should not have sex until I have the third shot.

[+ FrankR]

My question was should I stop having sex until after the third shot. I've had my first shot and I obviously intend to complete all three doses. I just want to know if I should not have sex until I have the third shot.

You sound a little freaked out by this discussion. I hope that is not the case and that I am reading it wrong, not the intention to scare folks. That being said, it is good that you are paying attention and intend to get all 3 shots - in my book that is the right thing to do! ?

 

If you want the full benefit of the vaccine, as discusses above, then yes, you should not have sex. You should also avoid kissing and skin contact as HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact. This is why the vaccine is recommended for teenagers - to get their immune system up before they become sexually active.

 

There are plenty of resources online or even better: consult a medical professional if that will help with your comfort level.

[+ Gar1eth]

I'm pretty sure I received the vaccine a long time ago. But as an FYI-the original Gardasil covered 4 strains. There is a newer vaccine called Gardasil 9 which covers 5 more strains than the original vaccine. This is the one that has been approved up to age 45.

 

Gman

[manTOman]

My question was should I stop having sex until after the third shot. I've had my first shot and I obviously intend to complete all three doses. I just want to know if I should not have sex until I have the third shot.

 

@Quincy_7 No one can make this decision but you.

Every sexual encounter, including kissing and skin on skin contact, as @FrankR pointed out, can transfer HPV strains. Once you're exposed to a strain the vaccine won't help you. It's there. If you go through the series of all three shots, then you'll have the most protection possible. However as someone pointed out, that does not mean you'll be protected against all the strains. From what I've read there's hundreds of variations but not all are harmful. The shots focus on protecting you from the most harmful ones.

These are the facts. There are three shots for a reason. You now know the facts and can make an educated decision as to what you think is the best choice for you.