HPV DNA detection: clinical applications

Abstract

With the licensure and recent agreement by the Commonwealth Government to fund the prophylactic HPV vaccine [Gardasil], preventative against cervical cancer and for females aged 12 to 26 from 2007, as well as the recent NHMRC guidelines on management of abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears recommending HPV DNA assays as a tool in the management post ablation for high-grade dysplasia, a good knowledge base by the medical profession, clinicians, scientists and the lay public will be critical to ensuring appropriate uptake of the vaccine and appropriate use of various diagnostic HPV DNA assays.