Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination

Abstract

What are the Implications of Distinct HPV Genotypes in Women of Different Ethnic/Racial Ancestry?

Adriana C. Vidal, Susan K. Murphy and Cathrine Hoyo

Invasive cervical cancer incidence and mortality continue to disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minorities, and the distribution of HPV genotypes varies by race/ethnicity, providing a potential explanation for such differences in incidence and mortality. It remains unclear whether such differences could be explained by host genetics or epigenetics that increase susceptibility to particular HPV genotypes, viral genetics, differences in HPV genotypes harbored by different social and/or economic networks, or by differences as simply as function of sexual networks. Determining if race-specific vaccines will benefit some subgroups will depend on addressing these questions. In general, it is our opinion that given population admixture, race/ethnicity based vaccine development may have limited value. Necessary to resolving this question will be the deliberate inclusion of minority populations into observational studies and clinical trials, as well as increase efforts in the study of other less racially admixed populations.