HPV vaccine ‘reduces infection rates’

A new study has been published highlighting the positive impact the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has had in reducing infection rates, not only in those who were immunised, but also in those who have not been.

Published today in the journal Pediatrics, the report suggests immunisation has now reached a critical stage whereby even those who have not received the vaccine are feeling the benefits of medical efforts.

Lead author of the study Dr Jessica Kahn, a physician in the division of Adolescent Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said that HPV-16 and HPV-18 cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and therefore this rise in immunisation is an extremely welcome development.

She added: "The results are promising in that they suggest that vaccine introduction could substantially reduce rates of cervical cancer in this community in the future."

HPV infection is linked to the development of a number of diseases, most notably certain forms of cancer, but also an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.