Comparison of papillomavirus and immunodeficiency virus evolutionary patterns in the context of a papillomavirus vaccine.

In contemplating a vaccine for human papillomaviruses (HPVs), it is important to consider the evolutionary context in which such a vaccine would be deployed. The human immunodeficiency virus, having been the subject of even more extensive study than HPV, shares certain salient features with regards to phylogenetic structure, and may serve as a model for contemplation of possible difficulties with HPV vaccination. However, there are also striking differences in the evolutionary potentials and histories of the viruses that permit an optimistic outlook for HPV. These similarities and differences, as well as their implications for vaccination studies, are reviewed.