Current status of human papillomavirus vaccination

Abstract

Purpose of review 

In this article, we review the impact of the quadrivalent and bivalent prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines on HPV infection and disease, review alternative vaccine dosing schedules, the vaccination of men and the nine-valent HPV vaccine.

Recent findings 

HPV vaccines have had dramatic impacts on the prevalence of targeted HPV types (6,11,16 and 18), genital warts and precancerous cervical lesions. Population coverage would be facilitated by adopting two-dose schedules, with recent findings that two-dose schedules in young adolescents are as immunogenic as three doses in young adults. Extension of vaccination to men, particularly for men who have sex with men, could further reduce population prevalence of HPV and provide direct protection to men against genital warts and anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers. The nine-valent HPV vaccine has demonstrated equivalent protection against the four types in the quadrivalent vaccine and high efficacy against the next five commonest causes of cervical cancer (HPV types 31,33,45,52 and 58). If cost-effective, it may extend the spectrum of protection against cervical cancer available through vaccination.

Summary 

HPV vaccination is an effective strategy for reducing the burden of HPV-related disease. New schedules, target populations and vaccines promise to expand this potential further.