Just one dose of HPV vaccine may help prevent cervical disease

A single dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is associated with a significant reduction in cervical disease, according to a retrospective study in Cancer. The CDC generally recommends two doses for those vaccinated between ages 9 and 14, and three doses for those vaccinated later.

Using a U.S. insurance claims database, researchers matched nearly 67,000 females aged 9 to 26 who received at least one dose of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine with 67,000 unvaccinated controls.

The estimated rate of preinvasive cervical disease at 5 years was 2.65% in the unvaccinated group, versus 1.62%, 1.99%, and 1.86% among those who received one, two, and three vaccine doses, respectively, between ages 15 and 19. After multivariable adjustment, one vaccine dose was associated with a 36% risk reduction; two doses, a 28% reduction; and three doses, a 34% reduction.

Editorialists say the findings "add to the growing evidence suggesting that there may truly be no major difference in protection against cervical preinvasive lesions ... conferred by 1, 2, or 3 doses of HPV vaccination."