Study Compares Regimens of HPV Vaccination for the Prevention of Genital Warts

Two doses of the HPV vaccine provides the same protection against genital warts as 3 doses, according to the findings of a recent study.

The study included 387,906 women enrolled in the Truven Health Analysis Marketscan database from 2007 through 2013 who received either 0, 1, 2, or 3 doses of the HPV vaccine. The risk for genital warts was estimated for each vaccine dosage. The mean age was 14.73 years and the mean exposure period was 5.64 years.

Of the participants included in the study, 52.1% received no HPV vaccine, 7.8% received 1 dose of HPV vaccine, 9.4% received 2 doses, and 30.7% received 3 doses.

The rate of genital warts was 1.97 per 1000 person-years, with 0 to 1 dose associated with a higher rate of genital warts than 3 doses. The risk of genital warts increased with age.

In addition, the study found that 2 doses of HPV vaccine was as effective at preventing genital warts as 3 doses.

“Prevention of genital warts is higher with completion of 3 vaccine doses than with 1 dose, though 2-dose recommendations appear to provide similar protection,” the researchers concluded. “Prospective effectiveness studies of recommended 2-dose schedules against clinical endpoints including persistent infection, genital warts, and cervical dysplasia are necessary to ensure long-term protection of vaccinated cohorts.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Perkins RB, Lin M, Wallington SF, and Hanchate A. Impact of number of human papillomavirus vaccine doses on genital warts diagnoses among a national cohort of US adolescents. Sex Transm Dis. 2017;44(6): 365-370.