Effectiveness of varying number of doses and timing between doses of quadrivalent HPV vaccine against severe cervical lesions.

Background: Based on immunogenicity studies, a 2 dose HPV vaccination-schedule was recently recommended for girls younger than 15 years. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccination against CIN2 or worse (CIN2+), by age at vaccination, number of doses, and to test whether optimal timing of 2 doses of qHPV vaccine can confer the same level of protection as the originally recommended three dose-schedule.

Methods: A population-based cohort of all women aged 13-30 years, living in Denmark or Sweden during 2006-2013, was followed for qHPV vaccination status and first occurrence of CIN2+.

Estimating effectiveness of HPV vaccination against HPV infection from post-vaccination data in the absence of baseline data.

Background: HPV vaccination programs have been introduced in large parts of the world, but monitoring of effectiveness is not routinely performed. Many countries introduced vaccination programs without establishing the baseline of HPV prevalences. We developed and validated methods to estimate protective effectiveness (PE) of vaccination from the post-vaccination data alone using references, which are invariant under HPV vaccination.

Highest Vaccine Uptake after School-Based Delivery - A County-Level Evaluation of the Implementation Strategies for HPV Catch-Up Vaccination in Sweden.

Background: The Swedish school-based vaccination programme offers HPV vaccine to girls born ≥1999 in 5-6th grade. In 2012, all counties introduced free-of-charge catch-up vaccination campaigns targeting girls born 1993-1998. Varying vaccine uptake in the catch-up group by December 2012 suggested that some implementation strategies were more successful than others.

Quadrivalent HPV vaccine effectiveness against high-grade cervical lesions by age at vaccination: A population-based study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16/18, included in HPV vaccines, contribute to the majority of cervical cancer, and a substantial proportion of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades 2/3 or worse (CIN2+/CIN3+) including adenocarcinoma in situ or worse. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccination on incidence of CIN2+ and CIN3+. A nationwide cohort of girls and young women resident in Sweden 2006-2013 and aged 13-29 (n = 1,333,691) was followed for vaccination and histologically confirmed high-grade cervical lesions.

The Participation of HPV-Vaccinated Women in a National Cervical Screening Program: Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Concerns have been raised that HPV-vaccination might affect women's cervical screening behavior. We therefore investigated the association between opportunistic HPV-vaccination and attendance after invitation to cervical screening.

Methods: A cohort of all women resident in Sweden, born 1977-1987 (N=629,703), and invited to cervical screening, was followed October 2006 - December 2012.

Change in population prevalences of human papillomavirus after initiation of vaccination: the high-throughput HPV monitoring study.

Background: Organized human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was introduced in Sweden in 2012. On-demand vaccination was in effect from 2006 to 2011. We followed the HPV prevalences in Southern Sweden from 2008 to 2013.

Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: updated Swedish Consensus recommendations.

In a recent expert meeting, Swedish recommendations for the treatment of HCV infection were upgraded. The panel recommends vaccination against both hepatitis A and B in patients with HCV. Therapy for symptomatic acute HCV infection should be initiated if spontaneous resolution has not occurred within 12 weeks, whereas asymptomatic acute HCV should be treated upon detection.

Treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection: an update of Swedish recommendations.

The main goal for treatment of chronic hepatitis B is to prevent complications such as liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Knowledge from population studies of the long-term risk of chronic HBV infection, as well as the recent introduction of pegylated interferon and additional nucleoside analogues has changed the therapeutic situation. Recently, a Swedish expert panel convened to update the national recommendations for treatment.

A low-dose intradermal hepatitis B vaccine programme in health-care workers and students is highly effective and cost saving: a retrospective follow-up survey in the clinical setting.

Objective: To evaluate compliance, serologic response and the cost-benefit of a low-dose intradermal hepatitis B vaccination programme, followed by intramuscular boosters in non-responders.

Material And Methods: The study comprised a retrospective survey of 1521 health-care workers and 968 students. Response was defined as hepatitis B antibody titres > or =10 IU/L.

Antiretroviral treatment of HIV infection: Swedish recommendations 2005.

On 2 earlier occasions, in 2002 and 2003, the Swedish Medical Products Agency (MPA) and the Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV) have jointly publicized recommendations for the treatment of HIV infection. A working group from the same expert team that produced the 2002 report has now revised the text again. Since the publication of the last treatment recommendations, 4 new medicines have become available: emtricitabine, atazanavir, fosamprenavir, and enfuvirtid.

[Antiviral agents in influenza--current recommendations. Anti-influenza agents are not a substitution for but a complement to vaccination].

This article summarizes a Swedish consensus guidance document on the use of antiviral drugs in the management of influenza. Vaccination remains the cornerstone for influenza prophylaxis. Treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors is recommended for high-risk groups and individuals hospitalised with influenza.

Serum ALT levels as a surrogate marker for serum HBV DNA levels in HBeAg-negative pregnant women.

In Stockholm, Sweden, the majority of pregnant women positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) negative. Newborns to HBeAg positive mothers receive vaccination and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Newborns to HBeAg negative mothers receive vaccine and HBIg only if the mothers have elevated ALT levels.

Chronic hepatitis C: updated Swedish consensus.

In 1999 a Swedish national expert panel published recommendations for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Recently, pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) products have been introduced, and an increased knowledge concerning treatment of acute HCV and HCV-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection has been gained. As a result of this, an update of the Swedish recommendations was developed following an expert meeting in October 2002.

Antiretroviral treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection: Swedish recommendations.

The Swedish guidelines (SwG) for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have several important roles. A major task involves the promotion of a uniformly high standard of care in all HIV treatment clinics in Sweden and the identification of strengths, weaknesses and relevance of recent research findings. CD4+ T-cell counts < 200 cells/microl are clear indications for the initiation of treatment, whereas high viral loads serve as an indication for increased vigilance rather than a criterion for therapy.

Treatment and prevention of influenza: Swedish recommendations.

The introduction of the 2 neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) zanamivir and oseltamivir has offered new options for the prevention and treatment of influenza. This article summarizes a Swedish consensus guidance document on the rational use of antiviral drugs in the management of influenza virus infections. Vaccination remains the cornerstone for influenza prophylaxis.

Lamivudine and famciclovir combination therapy with or without addition of interferon-alpha-2b for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B: a pilot study.

Lamivudine and famciclovir combination therapy has been used in patients with chronic HBeAg-positive hepatitis B to enhance the antiviral effect and reduce the risk of development of resistance. Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can theoretically be added to the regimen to further improve the antiviral effect. Twenty patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B were given lamivudine and famciclovir combination therapy for 24 weeks.