Details
By the use of human papilloma virus type 16 and 18 L1 protein as vaccination agents, the females can be given protection against cervical cancer due to this particular virus. Since the HPV is responsible for altering the changes in the cell, it might lead to the cervical cancer at a latter age group. By using the vaccine from a young age in the females, they can be protected from the cancer tissue due to the HPV as the vaccine will help in developing agents against the HPV. The vaccine is made with the protein from the virus which is antigenic and mounts an immune reaction in the body.
The vaccine is used to protect against HPV infection in women, so that these viruses do not lead to the occurrence of cervical cancer. It is not used for the treatment of the cancer after its occurrence. Instead, it is an ideal method to prevent the infection of HPV in females where there is a high predilection for carcinoma of cervix.
At the injection site, there may be pain, redness and swelling. Fatigue, headache, fever, myalgia, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms can occur in the recipients. Hypersensitivity reactions can occur and reactions like itching, urticaria, pruritus and rashes should be observed.
In people with acute febrile illness the vaccine shouldn't be administered. Those who have shown hypersensitivity to any particular ingredient, in the vaccine injection, should not be administered with the vaccine.
The vaccine is to be stored in temperature of 2-8 deg C and not allowed to freeze, or else the vaccine should be discarded.
The cervarix vaccine contains the proteins of 16L1 and 18L1 varieties of the human papilloma virus for acting as antigen. These produce the antibodies in the body of the females and prevent the infection of HPV in the adult females. Each vaccine is available as a prefilled syringes with 0.5 ml of suspension of 20 mcg of 16L1 protein variety and 20 mcg of 18L1 protein of papilloma virus. The vaccine also contains an adjuvant which is ASO4 that acts in the boosting of the immune system.
After administration of the vaccine, the person should be observed for about 15 minutes as there is chance of syncope and sometimes transient clonic tonic seizures can also occur. Care should be taken while administering the vaccine in patients with thrombocytopenia and bleeding disorders. The vaccine is not meant to be administered by intravenous, subcutaneous, or intradermal route. Routine cervical screen should still be performed in people who have taken the human papilloma virus vaccine as every HPV is not prevented by this vaccine. The vaccine should not be given in females who are pregnant or planning for pregnancy or are nursing babies.
The vaccine contains the recombinant proteins of 16L1 and 18L1 variety of HPV in order to inject the patients. The common age group in which the vaccine is administered is the females in the age group of 10 to 35 years of age. 3 doses of the vaccine, each of 0.5 ml are given to the females at 0, 1 and 6 months. The site of administration is the upper part of the deltoid region of the arm through the intramuscular route only. The drug is not to be given IV, intradermally or subcutaneously.