Results from the KEN SHE trial suggest that a single dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is highly effective for preventing oncogenic infection.

From 2018 through 2019, 2275 sexually active, HPV-vaccine-naive women were recruited in the study in Kenya. The women, aged between 15 and 20 years, were randomized to receive a bivalent vaccine (HPV 16/18), a nonavalent vaccine (HPV 16/18/31/33/45/52/58/6/11), or a vaccine against meningococcal meningitis.

Genital and cervical swabs were obtained at study entry to test for HPV DNA and blood was tested for antibodies. Over 18 months of follow-up, cervical swabs were taken every 6 months and a vaginal swab at 3 months to test for HPV DNA. Thirty eight persistent HPV 16/18 infections were detected in women who tested negative for HPV 16/18 antibodies at the time of enrollment and for HPV 16/18 DNA at enrollment and 3 months. There was one infection in each of the HPV-vaccine groups, and 36 in the meningococcal vaccine group. This translated to a vaccine efficacy of 97.5% (P < .001) against HPV 16/18 for both the bivalent and nonavalent vaccines. The findings were presented at the 34th International Papillomavirus Conference… (Medscape)