Chinanews client, Beijing, November 2nd (Reporter Zhang Ni) Men are the main spreaders of HPV viral factors, and HPV vaccination can protect their partners and themselves.
A few days ago, the suggestion of Harald Zurhausen, the father of HPV vaccines, caused heated discussions among netizens.
Many male netizens expressed confusion: Is HPV related to me?
Do I need to be vaccinated?
Some netizens said: The man waits first, the woman is not yet ranked!
Data map: The National Infectious Disease Diagnostic Reagents and Vaccine Engineering Technology Research Center at Xiamen University displays HPV virus models and vaccines.
Photo by Wang Dongming
Should men be vaccinated against HPV?
"Men do not get cervical cancer, but they are the main spreaders of HPV viral factors. Vaccinating men with HPV vaccine can first protect their partners, and secondly, because HPV viruses can also cause other cancers, vaccination can also protect themselves."
Recently, Harald Zurhausen, the father of HPV vaccines, gave such advice in an interview with the media.
This German biomedicalian won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008 for discovering the cause of cervical cancer.
As a high incidence of malignant tumors, the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer rank first among the malignant tumors of the female reproductive system in China.
The incidence of cervical cancer is closely related to HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).
There are many members in the HPV family, a small part of which are closely related to malignant tumors and are called high-risk HPV.
According to statistics from a large population sample, 99% of cervical cancers are caused by infection with this type of virus.
The main route of transmission of the HPV virus is through sexual contact, and contact with mucous membranes and mucous membranes can also be transmitted.
But cervical cancer is a kind of cancer that can be prevented and can be detected and cured early through medical examination. Therefore, some countries have actively carried out the prevention and screening of cervical cancer. HPV vaccine injection for young women is one of the methods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) position paper also clearly pointed out that the 9-14 year old girls who have not had sex are the primary vaccinations, and the immunization strategy should give priority to ensuring a high vaccination rate for this population.
Data map: Quadrivalent cervical cancer vaccine.
Photo by Liu Ranyang
So why do experts recommend that men also get HPV vaccine?
In fact, both men and women can be infected with HPV. In addition to causing cervical cancer, this type of virus is also the culprit of various diseases such as condyloma acuminatum, anal cancer, vaginal cancer, and penile cancer.
Zhao Yun, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital, said in an interview that men's vaccination can also prevent precancerous lesions and genital warts of some reproductive organs.
In foreign countries, the quadrivalent vaccine approved by some countries can be used for male vaccination.
In July 2019, the "Science Questions and Answers about HPV Vaccine" published on the official website of the State Food and Drug Administration mentioned that although HPV vaccination is useful for men in theory, there is currently no clear evidence showing that men's HPV vaccination affects sexual partners' cervical cancer. How effective prevention is, it can prevent male genital warts, which are also STDs caused by HPV.
Also taking into account the ratio of input to income, most countries and official documents of the World Health Organization have not yet recommended that men be vaccinated.
Despite this, but in some countries has begun to promote men's HPV vaccination.
For example, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report in 2019 that HPV vaccines can prevent more than 90% of cancers caused by human papillomavirus, calling for an increase in the national HPV vaccination rate to 80%.
The US Centers for Disease Control recommends that all children between the ages of 11 and 12 be vaccinated against HPV.
The British government stated in 2019 that it will vaccinate male children with HPV vaccine. It is expected that this measure will reduce 100,000 cancer cases in the UK in the next 40 years.
Data map: People are vaccinated against HPV.
Photo by Wu Yanyu
Netizen: Men, wait! Finish hitting the woman first!
The topic of suggesting that men receive HPV vaccine has also aroused heated discussion on the Internet.
Currently, the vaccine approved in China is for women.
However, since the HPV vaccine was launched in China, many cities have experienced the phenomenon of "a single shot is difficult to find." Some women have been waiting in line for months or even a year.
Vaccine shortages are frequently complained.
Source: Webpage screenshot
Therefore, when experts recommend that men receive HPV vaccine, many netizens said: Men wait first!
The woman hasn't been hit yet!
Source: Weibo screenshot
On the other hand, the reporter also found in random interviews and investigations that many men in China do not know about HPV-related knowledge, nor do they know the impact of such viruses on men’s bodies.
An unmarried man said in an interview with reporters that he had no previous knowledge of the relevant knowledge and would not consider getting this vaccine.
However, many people are open to men vaccinating such vaccines.
Source: Weibo screenshot
A married man told reporters in an interview, “I only knew that HPV vaccination was to help women prevent cervical cancer, and I didn’t understand what it had to do with men. But if men’s vaccination is released in the future and the price is not expensive, Will consider vaccination."
Data Map: Gynecology Clinic.
Photo by Zhang Ni, reporter from China News Service
To prevent HPV, you must pay attention to these in addition to vaccination!
In fact, after the human body is infected with HPV, most infected people can clear the virus through their own immune system, and will not develop condyloma acuminatum or show other symptoms of infection, but they can still transmit the virus to others.
It is worth noting that, in addition to vaccination, to prevent HPV infection, it is also very important to cut off the transmission route.
Taking cervical cancer as an example, Zhao Yun said that the HPV vaccine cannot prevent cervical cancer 100%.
To prevent cervical cancer, in addition to vaccinations, regular screenings are required, especially for women who have been sexually exposed.
She emphasized that for healthy people under the age of 30, only cell screening is recommended. If the screening result is negative, it can be checked again after 3 years.
For healthy people over 30 years old, cell screening and HPV virus test are recommended. If the result is double negative, the test can be performed again after 5 years.
Experts said that early sexual exposure, multiple sexual partners, active sexual behavior, and unclean sex are all high-risk factors for cervical cancer. Therefore, condoms are recommended for safe sex.
In addition, professionals emphasized that whether men or women, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and using condoms correctly can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases such as condyloma acuminatum.
If you have suspected symptoms, you must go to a regular hospital for examination and treatment as soon as possible.
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