In Denmark, vaccination has nearly eliminated infections caused by high-risk strains of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and 18 among women who were vaccinated as adolescents.
The prevalence of HPV16/18 types was low and stayed stable over time, at 1% 95% CI: 0.8–1.2) in the first samples, 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4–0.9) in the second, and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3–1.0) in the third samples.
Before vaccination, the prevalence of HPV16/18 was between 15% and 17%.
A study published in Eurosurveillance in July 2025 highlights this finding as significant, given that these HPV types are responsible for over 70% of cervical cancer cases.
These researchers wrote, ‘To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on HPV status in consecutive rounds of cervical cell sampling in a cohort of young women offered 4-valent HPV vaccination as girls.’
In 2008, Denmark started to offer free vaccination against HPV with the 4-valent vaccine to teenage girls.
As of August 13, 2025, HPV vaccinations are offered to most adolescents, boys, and girls in the United States.