Asuncion, IP Agency.- The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, through the Expanded Immunization Program, is updating the HPV vaccination schedule and, starting in August 2024, is implementing the application of the single dose for girls, which also includes boys born in 2014.
The new vaccination schedule guidelines include the introduction of a single dose of HPV vaccine for immunocompetent girls and boys, but the three-dose schedule is maintained for girls and boys with compromised immune systems.
The health ministry says that in 2024, girls aged 9 to 18 who have not been previously vaccinated will be vaccinated with a single dose of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine.
Girls and adolescents who have already received the first dose of the previous regimen no longer require a subsequent application.
This change responds to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Technical Advisory Committee on Immunizations (COTENAI), based on international evidence. It is based on recent studies and recommendations from international health organizations that demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the single-dose regimen.
Men are the main carriers of HPV and one of the objectives of introducing this sector of the population into the scheme is to contribute to gender equity, as well as to decrease the incidence of cervical cancer, reduce papillomatous lesions and prevent conditions and cancers associated with HPV in men.
What types of cancer does HPV cause?
HPV is a group of more than 200 related viruses, some of which are transmitted through sexual contact.
At this point, the existence of two main types is mentioned, consisting of low-risk HPV that can cause warts and high-risk HPV, which can cause various types of cancer, including cervical cancer, one of the most common and dangerous in Paraguay.
High-risk types can cause the onset of cervical cancer and other types of cancer. In Paraguay, cervical cancer is the second most common cause among women. Therefore, it is vitally important to prevent the disease with two fundamental tools: timely vaccination and early detection.
What viruses does the vaccine protect against?
This vaccine protects against infection with four types of HPV. This includes the two types that cause most HPV-related cancers (types 16 and 18) and the two low-risk types that cause most genital warts (types 6 and 11).
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are a group of more than 200 related viruses; some of these are transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. There are two groups of sexually transmitted HPVs: low-risk and high-risk.
HPV causes six types of cancer, including anal, cervical, oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal and vulvar cancer.
The HPV vaccine prevents cancer by preventing infection with disease-causing HPV types, and thus prevents many HPV-related cancers and cases of genital warts.
The HPV vaccine is estimated to prevent over 90% of cancers caused by HPV infection and genital warts. Getting the HPV vaccine between the ages of 9 and 14, before they become sexually active and come into contact with the virus, has been shown to be most effective in protecting girls’ health.
In 2012, Paraguay introduced the tetravalent vaccine against HPV 6-11-16 and 18 (Gardasil), administered intramuscularly with a two-dose regimen with a six-month interval between the first and second dose, reported the Ministry of Public Health.
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2024-08-07 01:18:59
