HPV vaccination results in drop in cases

A campaign developed to vaccinate girls against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, has led to a dramatic drop in reported cases.

Following the implementation of the vaccine, research has shown a 90 per cent fall in levels of the human papilloma virus (HPV) in Scottish women since the vaccine was made available in 2008.

HPV virus types are thought to account for about 90 per cent of cervical cancers.

The scientists, led by senior epidemiologist Dr Kevin Pollock at Health Protection Scotland, maintained that the drop in HPV cases should also lead to a significant drop in future cervical cancer cases.

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, Pollock explained: "The two HPV types we were vaccinating against - HPV 16 and HPV 18 - cause about 70 per cent to 80 per cent of cervical cancers within Scotland but the vaccine has exceeded our expectations because it appears to have knocked out another three high-risk HPV types which cause about 10 per cent of cervical cancers.

"So we do forecast within the next few years a 90 per cent reduction in cervical cancer within Scotland."

The research will be presented to the Microbiology Society's annual conference in Edinburgh.

"These new findings indicate that the positive impact of the HPV vaccine may be even greater than we initially thought.

"Collectively, these data demonstrate the significant and continued benefits of the HPV vaccination programme in Scotland, which has achieved a consistent and high uptake of around 90 per cent in 12 to 13-year-old girls."

Dr Pollock added: "The very high uptake of the HPV vaccine is strongly associated with these massive reductions in high-risk HPV types that are known to cause approximately 90 per cent of cervical cancer in Scottish women."