The use of urine in the follow-up of HPV vaccine trials

Prevention and treatment of human papillomavirus related cervical cancer through vaccination is a relative new field with many scientific, technological and implementational challenges requiring numerous new clinical trials. The initial prophylactic HPV vaccine trials allowed to set new end-points based on persistent infection in order to determine vaccine efficacy for prevention of cervical cancer. Major progress has been made regarding detection of HPV DNA in urine and high correlations between urinary HPV DNA and cervical infections have been established. Urine sampling has a number of assets such as its non-invasive character, and allowing for self-collection at home creating options to simplify follow-up of HPV in women participating in HPV vaccine efficacy trials. The current reported variability in urinary HPV sampling and detection can be overcome through relative simple sampling and testing guidelines. Determining persistent infection or lack of therapy response by urinary HPV detection may be an interesting approach to assess a viral end-point in HPV prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine efficacy trials for women.