Papillomavirus vaccination: never again without it! The evolution of knowledge

Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Most HPV infections resolve spontaneously within 2 years from infection; however, persistent infection may result in a wide array of diseases, ranging from genital warts to cancer. Most cases of cervical, anal and oropharyngeal cancers are due to HPV infection, with cervical cancer being one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. The development of HPV vaccine has shown a drastic decrease in HPV-related diseases. The vaccine, if administered before the start of sexual activity, prevents cervical cancer and shows effectiveness in over 90% of cases. Vaccination uptake remains low worldwide because of a limited knowledge of HPV. The use of a single-dose vaccine may facilitate the completion of prevention programmes for many children and adolescents as its efficacy and duration of protection is comparable to the two-dose schedule. Regular community sensitization and awareness campaigns by relevant authorities and implementers may help to increase the HPV vaccine uptake and decrease cancer and HPV-related morbidity and mortality worldwide.