STRATEGIES IN THE PREVENTION OF INFECTIONS BY ONCOGENIC VIRUSES

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

STRATEGIES IN THE PREVENTION OF INFECTIONS BY ONCOGENIC VIRUSES

Cancer Risks. Strategies for Elimination. Bannasch P, ed. New York, Springer-Verlag, p. 181-9, 1987.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/88638649
Deinhardt F; Max von Pettenkofer Institut fur Hygiene und Medizinische; Mikrobiologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen,; Pettenkoferstr. 9, D-8000 Munchen 2, FRG

Abstract: Strategies for prevention of infection with oncogenic viruses are discussed, with emphasis on vaccination for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Topics include immunization against Epstein-Barr virus, public health measures and immunization against retroviruses, immunization against papovaviruses, and immunization against HBV. Vaccines for HBV were produced initially from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), obtained in abundance from the blood plasma of HBV carriers. Vaccines prepared from HBsAg produced in yeast cells bearing cloned HBV-DNA have been developed by several groups; they have been evaluated in large clinical trials and are ready for general use. Vaccines from either donor or yeast sources lead to 80-99% seroconversion rates in healthy adults or newborns. A vaccination program could eliminate HBV infections and result in at least a substantial reduction in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the 10 most frequent cancers worldwide. Several administrative and technical obstacles must be overcome before the HBV vaccine program can be instituted in developing countries. As vaccination cannot begin simultaneously everywhere, it should be possible to evaluate its effectiveness by comparing HCC rates in areas where it is used first with the HCC rates in places where it is used later. The HBV vaccine is important not only for preventing a disease of major public health importance, but also because it is the first vaccine capable of preventing, or at least reducing, the incidence of a frequent human neoplasia, namely HCC. (46 Refs)

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/PREVENTION & CONTROL Hepatitis B/PREVENTION & CONTROL Herpesvirus 4, Human Human HTLV-BLV Infections/PREVENTION & CONTROL Tumor Virus Infections/*PREVENTION & CONTROL Viral Vaccines/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE MEETING PAPER

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