HPV vaccination programme reduces high-grade cervical abnormalities

January 01, 0001

HPV vaccination programme reduces high-grade cervical abnormalities

Australia introduced a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme with the quadrivalent HPV vaccine for all women aged 12—26 years between 2007 and 2009. The researchers from Australia analysed trends in cervical abnormalities in women in Victoria, Australia, before and after introduction of the vaccination programme. With data from the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry between 2003 and 2009, they compared the incidence of histopathologically defined high- grade cervical abnormalities (HGAs, lesions coded as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse or adenocarcinoma in situ; primary outcome) and low-grade cytological abnormalities (LGAs) in five age groups before (Jan 1, 2003, to March 31, 2007) and after (April 1, 2007, to Dec 31, 2009) the vaccination programme began.

After the introduction of the vaccination programme, they recorded a decrease in the incidence of HGAs by 0.38% in girls younger than 18 years. This decrease was progressive and significantly different to the linear trend in incidence before introduction of the vaccination (incident rate ratio 1.14). No similar temporal decline was recorded for LGAs or in older age groups.

The researchers concluded: "This is the first report of a decrease in incidence of HGAs within 3 years after the implementation of a population-wide HPV vaccination programme. Linkage between vaccination and screening registers is needed to confirm that this ecological observation is attributable to vaccination and to monitor participation in screening among vaccinated women."

There is also talk about young males being offered the HPV vaccination to reduce spread.

For the full abstract, click here.

The Lancet 377(9783):2085-2092, 18 June 2011 © 2011 Elsevier Limited
Early effect of the HPV vaccination programme on cervical abnormalities in Victoria, Australia: an ecological study. Julia ML Brotherton, Masha Fridman, Cathryn L May et al. Correspondence to Julia Brotherton: [email protected]

Category: X. Female Genital System, Breast. Keywords: HPV, vaccination, programme, cervical, abnormalities, ecological study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 12 July 2011

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