[Question #9403] Gardasil effectiveness after the second shot
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33 months ago
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Hello doctors.
I have received my second shot of Gardasil a few months ago. Last week I performed oral sex on a girl. How likely is it that I have caught oral HPV after my two shots? Do I have enough immunity with those two shots? Is it safe to keep having oral sex before my third shot?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
33 months ago
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I'm sorry you felt the need to return to the forum yet again, and that your unusually inflated fears of HPV continue. And that this exact question was answered in one of your previous questions. Here is what I wrote at that time:
In addition, since I wrote that, there is further evidence that two doses provide nearly the same 100% protection as all three doses. At this point, you are immune to new infection with any of the 9 HPV types covered by the vaccine. (Those 9 types cause around 90% of all warts or cancers caused by tHPV.)"Significant protection [against HPV with vaccination] begins about a month after the first of three doses. Protection is quite strong after the second dose (a month after the first) and maximum after 3 doses (6 months later)."
Therefore, I'm glad you are being vaccinated. Your risk of oral HPV from performing oral sex was low; oral sex uncommonly transmits HIV. But the vaccine is protecting you and it is safe to continue oral sex with your partner at this time, without waiting for the third dose of vaccine.
HHH, MD
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