HPV Vaccine May Not Be Effective for HIV Adults

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has proven very effective for certain population segments, such as teenagers.

But, the HPV’s efficacy for adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains unknown.

To find an answer to this question, a Phase 3 double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial results do not support quadrivalent HPV vaccination of HIV-infected adults age 27+ to prevent new anal HPV infections.

Nor does this HPV vaccine improve anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions on biopsy (HSIL) outcomes.

Moreover, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board stopped this study 8 months early for its obvious futility, said these researchers.

This HPV vaccine efficacy was just 22 percent for prevention of persistent anal infection or single detection at the final visit, 0 percent for improving bHSIL outcomes, 88 percent for preventing persistent oral HPV infection.

However, this data published in Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests a role for prevention of oral HPV infections, since it was found to be 32 percent effective for 6-month persistent oral HPV infection or single detection at the final visit.

But, these researchers said this finding should be confirmed in future studies.

Although substantially virologically different, the HPV and HIV viruses complement each other in many aspects, frequently producing a devastating outcome in their hosts.

The relationship between the two viruses was confirmed in 2008 when the Nobel Prize in Medicine was shared between Harald zur Hausen for discovering HPV as the causative agent of cervical cancer and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi together with Luc Montagnier for discovering HIV. 

These two viruses cause a significant disease burden worldwide.

In 2015, an estimated 36.7 million were living with HIV. However, many in need of treatment are still unaware of their HIV status.

Cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers, such as vulvar, vaginal, anal, penile, and head and neck cancers, represent 4.5 percent of all cancers worldwide, with 630,000 new cancer cases annually. 

These researchers disclosed various commercial interest: Timothy J Wilkin, M.D. MPH Huichao Chen, PhD Michelle S Cespedes, MD, MSJorge T Leon-Cruz, MS Catherine Godfrey Elizabeth Y Chiao Barbara Bastow, BSNJennifer Webster-Cyriaque Qinghua Feng Joan Dragavon, Robert W Coombs, Rachel M Presti Alfred Saah Ross D Cranston.