Hi all. I’m 29 years old and have a persistent high risk HPV infection and CIN 1 since the past 3 years. I was vaccinated when I was maybe 15 yo (I was sexually inactive then) but I have still gotten infected with a high risk strain. Anyone else had something similar happen to them?? I’m so sad and upset about this!
Hi Deep!
The whole thing feels very confusing. Assuming you are in the UK you would have been vaccinated with a vaccine that protected you against strains 16 and 18 of HPV. The vaccine depending on brand may also have given you protection from 2 strains that cause genital warts
Unfortunately there are many strains of high risk HPV. I think there are about 14, maybe more. The most advanced vaccine which is now used in school protects from 7 high risk strains
16 and 18 cause the majority of cervical abnormalities. The other strains do but are not considered as much of a worry.
I don’t believe here in the UK you get your strain number routinely through the NHS. It is quite possible you have something other than 16/18. If you did have 16/18 despite being vaccinated it is possible:
- No vaccine is 100% no matter how amazing they are as an invention
- Possibly gained via oral HPV transmitted via French kissing (if you had done that pre vaccination) as some studies have shown this can happen
If you want to find out your strain you could do a home HPV test but you would have to pay for it. However it would not change your treatment on the NHS and it may only bring you further anxiety x
