Results of a vaccination campaign against human papillomavirus in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, Italy, March-December 2008

Euro Surveill. 2009 Oct 1;14(39):19342. doi: 10.2807/ese.14.39.19342-en.

Abstract

Sexually transmitted diseases caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) are being diagnosed more frequently than others. It is accepted that HPV infection is a necessary cause for all cases of cervical carcinoma and a large number of other anogenital and oral cancers. Two vaccines have been developed and were licensed in 2007, which can prevent infections and pre-cancerous lesions due to HPV. In Italy pre-adolescent age (12 years-old) was identified as the ideal age for vaccination against HPV. In Liguria, the first free HPV vaccination campaign was started on 8 March 2008 in 12 year-old girls. We assessed the adherence to the vaccination during the 2008 campaign as 80.6%, 79.0% and 64.1%, respectively, for the first, second and third dose of vaccine in the target population.

MeSH terms

  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Promotion / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Mass Vaccination / statistics & numerical data*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Program Evaluation
  • Risk Assessment / methods
  • Risk Factors
  • State Government
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Papillomavirus Vaccines