Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Each year cervical cancer kills 275,000 women worldwide, mostly in developing countries. There are two vaccines against the major oncogenic strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), the infectious cause of cervical cancer. When given to girls prior to sexual debut, the vaccines are greater than 92 percent effective in preventing persistent HPV infection and 100 percent effective in preventing vaccine type-specific cervical lesions (precancer). For women already infected with persistent HPV, when cervical precancer is detected early, treatment success rates are high.

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Page last updated: January 2011.