Preliminary experiences with the acceptance of HPV vaccination. Vaccination rates of female teenagers a year after the STIKO recommendation

Background. Human papilloma virus (HPV) infections, especially the HPV high-risk types 16 and 18, cause invasive cervical cancer. In 2007, STIKO (the German vaccination board) recommended vaccination against HPV for all girls age 12-17 years old in Germany. Methods. One year after the introduction of the vaccine, the implementation of this recommendation was assessed by reviewing the vaccination certificates of 15-year-old female students in the 10th grade (n=2,301). Results. Vaccination rates for the 1,711 girls who presented their vaccination certificates varied from 25% (special-needs schools) to 51% (high schools). Conclusions. Female students in special-needs schools need specific information about vaccinations, particularly HPV vaccination.