title: [HPV immunization for the prevention of cervical cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) infect epithelial cells of the skin and mucosae. Mucosal high-risk HPV types (mainly HPV 16 and 18) are involved in the development of cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in young women. HPV infection is usually asymptomatic and clears spontaneously, but 10 - 15 % of high-risk HPV infections are persistent and increase the risk of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix. Two HPV vaccines have been licensed to provide protection against cervical cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the different aspects of HPV infection in order to improve the understanding of the particular problems of HPV vaccination and to review the most recent findings related to HPV vaccines, particularly regarding the protective efficacy of vaccines and the roles of adjuvants and immune response in protection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Articles were selected from the PubMed database (National Library of Medicine- National Institute of Health) with the following Keywords "HPV", "Prevention", "HPV vaccines", "Immune response", "Antibody". Abstracts of oral presentations from international meetings were also selected for the more recent findings. a critical analysis of the majority of papers published was undertaken and relevant information summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Virus-like particle production by expressing the major protein of the HPV capsid was carried out in the early 90's, leading to the recent development of two HPV vaccines. These vaccines are now licensed in many countries and have been demonstrated to be highly immunogenic. In subjects that are non-infected at the time of vaccination, HPV vaccines are highly effective in preventing persistent HPV 16 - 18 infections (90 %) and precursors lesions of cervical cancer associated with these two HPV types (close to 100 %). Clinical trials have also confirmed that HPV vaccines are well tolerated by recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present paper is a detailed review published in French on HPV vaccines, their efficacy in the prevention of HPV infections and unresolved questions regarding the use of HPV vaccines. This report also includes biological and immunological information to improve the understanding of HPV vaccination.
authors.affiliation: UFR des Sciences Médicales et Pharmaceutiques, EA 3181, IFR 133, Université de Franche-Comté, F-25000 Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mougin
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bourgault-Villada
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coursaget
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines