HPV epidemiology and vaccine recommendations: Summary

Epidemiology  Global burden: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, with over 200 identified HPV types, of which at least 12 are oncogenic or high-risk types. HPV causes approximately 4.5% of all new cancer cases globally, with HPV-16 alone responsible for 3-3.5% of cases. Women bear approximately 90% of the global HPV-attributable cancer burden.  United States: An estimated 42 million Americans are infected with disease-causing genital HPV types, with approximately 13 million new infections occurring annually. Following the U.S. HPV vaccination program launch, vaccine-covered HPV infections decreased by 88% among adolescents aged 14-19 years and 81% among those aged 20-24 years, with evidence of herd immunity effects even among unvaccinated individuals.  Cancer distribution: Worldwide, an estimated 690,000 cancers are attributable to HPV annually, predominantly cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. HPV-16 and HPV-18 are responsible for approximately 70-72% of cervical cancers and an even higher percentage of other HPV-attributable cancers. The...