HPV vaccine

Abstract 

The recognition that oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer has stimulated the search for preventative vaccines. To date, two vaccines have been developed and clinically evaluated, the quadrivalent and the bivalent vaccine. Results from trials indicate that the vaccine is safe, well tolerated and highly efficacious in HPV naïve women. The optimal target age is pre-pubertal girls before coitarche. A catch-up vaccination will accelerate protection in young women, while it will remain an individual decision for older women. To date, no evidence supports routine vaccination of men. Vaccination and screening are complementary strategies and synergy in a cost-effective manner is required for the next few decades. An integrated vaccination–screening approach with some modifications in screening programmes should aim to maintain adequate levels of coverage in order to achieve the maximum benefit. The new HPV immunization programme with the bivalent vaccine was initiated in the NHS in September 2008.

Keywords: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), primary prevention, public health, vaccine