“This study provides an early indication that the national HPV immunization programme is successfully reducing vaccine-type HPV infections in sexually active young women in England, and also suggests herd-immunity may be benefiting non-vaccinated young women and men,” says David Mesher, Public Health England. It is encouraging that there is strong data about the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and reducing cervical cancer.
Prior to the start of the HPV immunization program in the UK, a survey showed that around 1 in 5 sexually active women (aged 16 to 18) were infected with at least one of the HPV type 16 and 18. Later, after the start of the immunization program, a survey showed that the prevalence has dropped to 1 in 15 young women.
