Efficacy of a Single Dose HPV vaccine and its Potential Outcomes in Low-Income Countries

Cervical cancer is a leading worldwide cause of cancer mortality in women and disproportionately burdens low-income countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been proven as the primary cause of genital warts, some oropharyngeal cancers, and anogenital cancers such as cervical, vulvar, anal, and penile malignancies. HPV vaccination coupled with regular HPV screenings are major strategies for preventing HPV infections, but with high costs and infrastructure complexities associated with current vaccination and screening programs, many world regions are unable to provide protection against HPV infection and its sequalae. If unabated, cervical cancer incidence is expected to increase worldwide over the coming decades with the largest impact on developing regions. Currently there exists a good amount of evidence suggesting single-dose HPV vaccination may provide long-term protection against infection and subsequent malignancies and if sufficiently effective would promote broader vaccination in the neediest populations. Extensive literature analysis was conducted with the primary objective to summarize and assess the evidence to date supporting a change to a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule. Additionally, significant gaps are identified within the available research and discussion surrounding forthcoming evidence aims to provide insight into future developments surrounding a one-dose HPV vaccination option