[Papillomavirus vaccines: adverse effects]

The Health Department of Catalunya laun- ched the first vaccination campaign against human papillo- mavirus (HPV) in the 2008-09 school year This study des- cribes the side effects of HPV vaccine and compared them with those of the vaccine against Hepatitis.

This is a prospective observational study Nurses of our primary health centre went to the area's schools to administer the HPV vaccine and hepatitis vaccine (when necessary). Afterwards, between 24 to 72 hours, they went back to schools in order to control the adverse effects.

The frequency of general symptoms (syn- cope, fever, headache, muscle aches, malaise) was less than 5% with the first two doses. With the third, 9.8% of girls referred headache. Pain was the most common local symptom: 28.3% of girls reported pain with the first dose, 53.4% with the second and 53.6% with the third. Local reactions appear more often with HPV than with hepatitis vaccine, especially in the second and third doses (McNemar test p < 0.001).

HPV vaccine was generally well tolerated. General side effects were rare. Local symptoms were com- mon and increased with each new dose. The vaccine against hepatitis produced fewer side effects.