Vaccins et vaccination contre les papillomavirus

Abstract

AbstractThe human papillomaviruses associated with cervical cancer were identified in the early 1980s. Epidemiological confirmation of their causal role, and finally the demonstration in the early 1990s that the major capsid protein, self-assembled in virus-like particles, provides protection against infection in papillomavirus animal models, have made possible the development of vaccines against cervical cancer as other HPV-associated cancers.In this article, we review the knowledge concerning HPV vaccines and vaccination including the last development. The efficacy of vaccines against human genital papillomavirus has been demonstrated in large randomized trials, and the safety and efficacy results obtained led, between 2006 and 2020, to the marketing of four vaccines. Numerous studies have since confirmed the very high safety and remarkable effectiveness of these vaccines in the prevention of pre-cancerous lesions associated with the various cancers induced by papillomaviruses. Although human papillomavirus vaccines are very effective and very safe vaccines, the extension of the vaccination against papillomaviruses comes up against the hesitation of the population and misinformation concerning its safety leading in some countries, including France, to highly insufficient vaccination coverage. Recently, the effectiveness of national vaccination programs against cervical cancer has been reported in Sweden and the United Kingdom.