Diana Castaneda
Latin Agency for News of Medicine and Public Health
He human papillomavirus (HPV) it is one of the most frequent sexually transmitted infections worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 300 million women under 25 years of age suffer from genital infections due to this virus.
The school in British Columbia, Canada conducted a new study, using a vaccination program against the human papillomavirus showing that the reduction of cervical precancer.
HPVs are a diverse group of viruses that infect keratinocytes, both in the squamous cell and mucosal epithelium, where it causes cell proliferation, causing lesions such as warts or flat lesions that occasionally disappear after two years of infection. There are 13 high-risk genotypes of HPV which cause cervical cancer, and some may also become etiologic agents of head and neck cancer.
For its part, the British Columbia research, published by News Medical, describes that the evaluation of the HPV vaccination program was carried out jointly by researchers from BC Cancer, the BC Center for Disease Control, the Health Center + BC Women’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia and highlights the program’s success in reducing pre-cancers. Pre-cancer refers to abnormal cell growth in the cervix that is most often discovered during routine Pap tests. If left untreated, the precancer can turn into cervical cancer.
The study found that BC women who had received the HPV vaccine as sixth-grade girls had a 57% reduction in the incidence of precancerous cervical cells compared to unvaccinated women.
“We are excited about these initial findings. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence highlighting the positive impact of the HPV vaccine and regular cervical screenings in preventing cervical cancer. And, with greater acceptance of the vaccine, we would expect to see a further decrease in cervical cancer rates, ”Dr. Gina Ogilvie, Senior Research Advisor, BC Women’s Hospital + Health Center and Professor at the School of Population and Health public of the UBC.
The publication refers to the fact that the women included in the study received the quadrivalent vaccine, which achieves immunization of the two types of HPV responsible for 70% of existing cervical cancers. In addition, the study emphasizes that the vaccine administered in the school program achieves a 90% protection against seven types of these viruses.
It is necessary to remember that the human papilloma virus is common in both men and women and is transmitted through sexual intercourse, however, cervical cancer is considered the leading cause of cancer death in women in developed countries.
“The HPV vaccination program in British Columbia is in its twelfth year and it is very gratifying to be able to show such positive results through the prevention of this infection and its complications in women,” said Dr. Monika Naus, Director Communicable Disease Physician and Immunization Service and Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health.
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