HPV Vaccine Impact Sustains Population Protection
SEVENTEEN years after its introduction, HPV vaccine effectiveness shows a significant drop in vaccine-type infections among vaccinated and unvaccinated young women. This long-term analysis highlights strong population-level protection, including herd immunity benefits in high-risk groups.
Study Design and Population
The cross-sectional study evaluated 2,335 sexually experienced adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 26 years. Over the study period from 2006 to 2023, vaccination coverage increased from 0 to more than 80 percent, reflecting strong uptake in clinical settings.
HPV Vaccine Effectiveness Findings
Among vaccinated participants, HPV type positivity dropped sharply for 2-valent, 4-valent, and 9-valent vaccine types. Relative reductions ranged from 75 to 98%, clearly indicating sustained vaccine effectiveness over nearly two decades. Notably, the 2-valent vaccine type positivity decreased from 27.7% to just 0.4%.
Herd Protection Observed
Unvaccinated participants also experienced meaningful reductions in HPV type positivity, particularly for 2-valent and 4-valent types. This indicates a clear herd protection effect, with infection rates falling even in those who did not receive the vaccine.
Clinical Relevance for HPV Prevention
These outcomes reinforce the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to support community-level protection. The findings are relevant for clinicians counselling sexually active adolescents and young adults, including those who did not complete a full vaccination schedule but may still benefit from community immunity.
Reference: DeSieghardt A et al. Population-Level Effectiveness and Herd Protection 17 Years After HPV Vaccine Introduction. JAMA Pediatr. 2025;doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3568.
