One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough, study finds

A new study suggests that a single dose of the human papillomavirus vaccine could be enough to prevent precancerous cervical lesions.

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Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is badually transmitted and takes its name from the warts (papillomas) that some types of HPV can cause, according to the Center for Disease and Prevention.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne have compared the results of cervical cancer screening of 250,000 Australians. The comparison revealed that girls who had received the HPV vaccine when they were young were less likely to have precancerous lesions.

Lead author Julia Brotherton of the VCS Foundation and the University of Melbourne said that this data added to other evidence that was emerging that a dose of the HPV vaccine may be sufficient to protect against cancer of the cervix.

According to the CDC, about 14 million people – men and women – are infected with HPV each year and most of them never know it. Approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed and approximately 4,000 women die from cervical cancer caused by certain HPV viruses. HPV viruses are also badociated with many other forms of cancer in both men and women.

The CDC recommends that all 11- and 12-year-olds be vaccinated, with catch-up vaccines for boys and men up to age 21, and for girls and women up to age 26, they were not there sooner. Vaccination consists of two or three doses of the vaccine.

"If a dose of vaccination proves sufficient, it will really simplify our ability to protect more people from these carcinogenic viruses," Brotherton said in a statement.

"This could make a huge difference, especially in resource-poor countries that currently have high rates of cervical cancer but currently can not afford vaccination or screening."

She warned, however, that young people should continue treatment with two doses until the results of the official test are known and recommendations are changed.

© 2019 Cox Media Group.