Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been estimated to cause 270 000 deaths worldwide annually from cervical cancer and approximately 80% of these occur in resource-poor countries. In South Africa, cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women, with the highest rate among black women aged 66 - 69 years. With the development of prophylactic HPV vaccines there are prospects of significant reduction in morbidity and mortality due to HPV infection and its complications.