title: Age for HPV vaccination.
abstract: HPV vaccination of pre-pubescent girls will be effective for many girls. Vaccinating girls and women older than 12 years of age may accelerate the reduction in cervical cancer rates. Currently HPV vaccines are effective for at least 5 years in the prevention of HPV 16 and 18 associated precancerous lesions however the duration of vaccine protection is unknown. The need for booster shots must therefore be addressed with patients as unknown. Continued cervical cancer screening is necessary regardless of vaccination. Vaccination alone will not eliminate cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth College, Department of Women's and Gender Studies, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Community and Family Medicine, Hanover, NH, USA. Diane.M.Harper@Dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paavonen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines