Week 4: HPV

Question 1

HPV infection

Answer 1

• transmitted through oral, anal, vaginal sex
• HPV needs micro wound to infect the basal cells of the epidermis, which is needed for replication
• infection of the langerhans cells in the mucosa changes the behavior of the langerhans cells, results in unresponsive HPV specific T cells

Question 2

Prophylactic cervical cancer vaccines (HPV)

Answer 2

• Gardasil protects against HPV 6, 11, 16, 18. Has virus-like particles of L1 protein in vaccine
• gardasil 9 protects against: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58

Question 3

Issues to overcome in the elimination of cervical cancer by vaccination

Answer 3

1. won’t work in already infected patients or patients with abnormal pap or cervical cancer
2. multiple HPV types linked to cervical cancer and neutralizing antibodies are predominantly type specific (but now we have gardasil 9)
3. unknown ho long protection lasts, at least 10 years though
4. low vaccination rate of girls and boys

Question 4

HPV types

Answer 4

• Venereal warts: Types 6, 11 mainly

- cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and oro pharynx cancer: 16, 18 mainly