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.1 In South Africa,
cervical cancer is the second most common
malignancy among women, with the highest
rate among black women aged 66 - 69 years.2
With the development of prophylactic HPV
vaccines there are prospects of significant
reduction in morbidity and mortality due to
HPV infection and its complications.
