The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine in Santa Catarina was used more frequently in girls than in boys. The difference in vaccinations between representatives of one sex and the other reaches almost 100 thousand, the Ministry of Health indicates.

The target audience for vaccination are children and adolescents aged 9 to 14 – Photo: Tania Regina/Agência Brasil

While just over 210,000 girls were vaccinated, only 115,500 boys were immunized. The target audience for vaccination are children and adolescents aged 9 to 14 years.

The goal is to vaccinate at least 80% of the target audience. To date, 79.76% of girls and 63.63% of boys have been vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine. The complete vaccination schedule includes two doses administered six months apart.

In addition to children and adolescents, people aged 9 to 45 (those living with HIV/AIDS, those with solid organ or bone marrow transplants, and those with cancer can also get HPV vaccination through SUS). For them, the schedule is three doses (0, 2, 6 months), regardless of age.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is a common, easily spread virus that settles on the skin and mucous membranes of men and women. According to the Ministry of Health, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in both women and men.

There are over 200 types of HPV, 13 of which are oncogenic. The four vaccine-preventable types are more common (6, 11, 16, and 18) and cause the vast majority of infections that can be warts or even cancer.

HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers; types 6 and 11 for 90% of anogenital warts.

To prevent HPV, in addition to vaccination, it is also important to use condoms during sexual intercourse. For the prevention of cervical cancer, it is important that women who have already begun sexual activity periodically undergo a preventive gynecological examination (Pap smear). The examination can reveal the precursors of cervical cancer, which can be treated before they develop. When these pre-cancer changes are detected and treated, 100% of cases can be prevented.