Zeitschrift für klinische und zelluläre Immunologie
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Vaccine Strategies against Human Papillomavirus: A Discussion Focused on Developing Countries

Antonio Carlos de Freitas, Filipe Colaço Mariz, Eliane Campos Coimbra, Marcelo Nazário Cordeiro and André Luiz Santos de Jesus

Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women, and responsible for 274,000 deaths each year, most of which occur in developing countries. Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is an essential factor in the development of cervical cancer and also a contributory factor in other types of cancer. The current prophylactic HPV vaccines provide protection against the -16 and -18 genotypes which are most commonly associated with cervical cancer worldwide. However, the increased costs of these vaccines inhibit their implementation in developing countries, affecting their viability. Moreover, a therapeutic vaccine is needed for women who are already infected by HPV and/or affected by HPV-related cancer. A number of innovative approaches to combat and treat HPV infection are currently being studied and some of these will be consider in this work, together with the development of new vaccines, especially in seriously affected areas located in developing countries. At the same time, there will be a discussion of the issues involved in carrying out effective HPV vaccination programs; these will take account of financial constraints, the lack of adequate infrastructure and the competing priorities, that are found in the surrounding social context of the developing countries.