Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination

HPV vaccination in the Middle East

6^th Euro Global Summit and Expo on Vaccines & Vaccination

August 17-19, 2015 Birmingham, UK

Osman Ortashi

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Vaccines Vaccin

Abstract:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide; males can be at the
same risk for this infection as females. High-risk HPV subtypes are associated with various female cancers; for example,
HPV is responsible for 99% of all cases of cervical cancer. HPV also causes 60–90% of vaginal cancers and around 40% of
vulvar cancers. In males HPV infection can cause up to 40% of penile cancers. In both sexes HPV is associated with 40–70% of
head and neck cancers and up to 80% of anal cancers. Low-risk HPV subtypes (e.g., HPV 6 and 11) cause genital warts, which
affect both males and females and have a major impact on quality of life. In 2008, the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD)
included HPV vaccination in the Abu Dhabi Extended Program of Immunization for girls entering grade 11. Abu Dhabi State
is the first state in the Middle East and Arab countries to introduce HPV vaccination in the public sector. An awareness and
training campaign among health care providers was organized by HAAD, and an extensive media campaign was also run.
Initially, the uptake of HPV vaccination in Abu Dhabi State was low (50%); it later increased to 80% and now is approaching
95%. In our published research on acceptability of HPV vaccination among women in the UAE we found that more than
one third of the women had some knowledge of HPV vaccination. Encouragingly, 80% of those who had heard about HPV
vaccination were willing to be vaccinated themselves, and 87% would recommend vaccination to relatives and friends. The
most important factors affecting the uptake of the vaccine negatively were training health care providers and informing women
about the exact nature of HPV infection. Our results suggest that there are no significant cultural or religious barriers to HPV
vaccination in the UAE. Vaccine safety and recommendation by a doctor (36% each) were the factors most likely to enhance
the uptake of HPV vaccination in our sample of women. Regarding boys we surveyed male university students in the UAE
and our results showed that overall knowledge of HPV and acceptability of vaccination against this infection are low. Marital
status and sexual activity are associated with greater knowledge of HPV infection but have no effect on the acceptability of
HPV vaccination. We believe that Abu Dhabi has set a very good example of successful introduction of the HPV vaccination
program in schools. There were many challenges and wrong believes among both health care providers and policy makers
about the acceptability of HPV vaccination among women & men in the middle east, our research showed that none of these
were right.