The HPV Vaccination Strategy: Could Male Vaccination Have a Significant Impact?. Issue 3 (2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brown, V.; White, K. A. J.
• Is Part Of: Computational and mathematical methods in medicine. Volume 11:Issue 3(2010)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 237
• Publication Date: 2010
• Subjects: mathematical modelling -- HPV -- vaccination -- reproductive value; Medicine -- Computer simulation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Mathematical models -- Periodicals; 610.11
• DOI: 10.1080/17486700903486613
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-670X

Abstract

Abstract : We investigate the potential success of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, taking into consideration possible waning immunity and the influence of behavioural parameters. We use a compartmental, population-level ordinary differential equation (ODE) model. We find the effective reproductive value for HPV, R 0 e, which measures the threshold for infection outbreak in a population that is not entirely susceptible, together with infection prevalence. We study the effects of different parameters on both of these quantities. Results show that waning immunity plays a large part in allowing infection to persist. The proportion of the population not sexually active when vaccination occurs affects R 0 e, as does the rate at which individuals become sexually active. In several cases, infection persists as a result of an infection reservoir in the male cohort. To explore this further, we introduce male vaccination and find the conditions for which vaccination of males could be considered appropriate.