HPV vaccination in boys: Determining the clinical relevance of this strategy

Paediatric virology and human papillomaviruses: An update

Almost 10 years ago, in October, 2008, the scientist who reported for the first time the association between human papillomaviruses (HPV) and cervical cancer, was awarded with the Nobel prize. In the years that followed, Professor Harald zur Hausen actively supported the value of the HPV vaccination in the prevention of different types of cancer and highlighted the necessity of its introduction in both girls and boys. However, to date, in the majority of countries, HPV vaccination among male adolescents has not been implemented into the national vaccination schemes, while in several countries, including Greece, the participation rate to HPV vaccination among female adolescents still remains low. Recent data indicate that catch-up HPV vaccination among young women has been extremely useful and has exhibited a significant effect in decreasing the prevalence of HPV. While the marketed current HPV vaccines prevent anogenital HPV infection, their impact on the natural history of oral HPV and their efficacy in preventing HPV-related head and neck carcinomas need to be further investigated. Juvenile onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, as well as HPV-associated conjunctival papillomas continue to be observed in childhood and their clinical management involves different therapeutic approaches with controversial outcomes. This review article provides an overview of recent views and advances on HPV infections and prevention in childhood that were presented at the '4th Workshop on Paediatric Virology' on Saturday September 22, 2018 in Athens, Greece.

Evaluating the proposal of paediatric virology: An interview with Professor Tina Dalianis, Professor of Tumour Virology at Karolinska Institutet

Professor Tina Dalianis, Professor of Tumour Virology at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, is a well-known virologist with a strong international reputation and seminal contributions in tumour virology in the fields of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and polyomaviruses. According to Professor Dalianis, over the past decades virology has significantly contributed to the understanding of many infectious diseases in medicine. In addition, quite a few antiviral therapies have been developed in recent years that have been very helpful, while the study of viruses has also provided valuable information about their host cells and basic cell biology. She highlights the association of HPVs with tonsillar and base of tongue cancers, as well as their epidemic rise. She also refers to additional biomarkers, which are under investigation, in order to better individualise patient care, by for example, de-escalating or targeted therapy, whenever this is possible. She clarifies that the current prophylactic vaccines against HPVs are very efficient for the types they are directed against and she hopes that boys will also soon be vaccinated against HPVs, particularly in countries where there is a low percentage of girls being vaccinated. According to Professor Dalianis, the knowledge of virology is very useful in general paediatric practice; the proposal of paediatric virology as a medical subspecialty is absolutely correct and it would be very useful, as there is much to be done. In the context of the '4th Workshop on Paediatric Virology', Professor Tina Dalianis will give the plenary lecture of this scientific event and will focus on changes in the prevalence of different HPVs in genital and oral samples in some groups of youth in Sweden during the introduction of the vaccines against HPVs.