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In June 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The vaccine was subsequently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for routine vaccination of 11-12-year-old girls and catch-up vaccination of females 13-26 years of age. With the approval of the first HPV vaccine, cervical cancer now has a primary prevention tool. However, the availability of an HPV vaccine will not change the course of cervical cancer in this country unless there is both widespread demand by and access for the targeted populations. Demand will require recognition of the need for protection against HPV infection as well as a positive perception of the vaccine as safe and efficacious. General knowledge of HPV and its relationship to cervical cancer is limited; some parents and healthcare providers are hesitant to vaccinate preadolescent girls. Access to the expensive vaccine will not be increased without addressing financial constraints. Although the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program has added HPV to its vaccine plan, not all private insurers have approved coverage, and the uninsured and underinsured may have limited access. Moving forward will require a well-planned and executed public information campaign by trusted sources and the development of a comprehensive vaccine administration program. Although mandates would assure the broadest coverage, controversies surrounding mandates may deter work toward broad coverage. States should focus on developing a comprehensive program and then return to the mandate issue if coverage does not meet public health objectives.

The rate of perinatal transmission of HIV-2 (1.2%) was much lower than the rate of perinatal transmission of HIV-1 (24.7%), and this was associated with more favorable survival for infants of HIV-2-infected mothers. Dually reactive women could transmit both viruses, although transmission usually involved HIV-1 only. Public health guidelines should incorporate advice that perinatal transmission of HIV-2 is rare.

Of 5180 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with tuberculosis in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa), between July 1989 and December 1990, 289 (6%) were children aged less than 15 years. The overall prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and/or HIV-2 infection in children with tuberculosis was 11.8% (HIV-1, 10.0%; HIV-2, 0.7%; reactivity to both viruses, 1%). The highest overall age-specific prevalence was in children aged 1-4 years (23.4%), significantly higher than the rate in attenders at a well child clinic (0.5%) (odds ratio 58.2). Of children with tuberculosis, 26% had sputum smear-positive disease (HIV seroprevalence 2.7%), 20% extrapulmonary disease (HIV seroprevalence 5.2%), and 54% were categorized as having 'clinical tuberculosis' (HIV seroprevalence 18.6%) based on clinical signs and chest X-ray abnormalities with negative sputum smears. Clinical tuberculosis was most frequent in seropositive children, irrespective of age, and in younger seronegative children. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis was equally distributed across age groups, and pulmonary tuberculosis was concentrated in older, seronegative children. HIV-positivity was significantly associated with other features related to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome such as wasting, chronic diarrhoea, oral candidiasis, and negative tuberculin skin tests. Tuberculosis seems to be associated with HIV infection in children in sub-Saharan Africa, but better diagnostic techniques for paediatric tuberculosis are urgently needed.