The incidence of genital warts in Australian women prior to the national vaccination program

The quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine currently being delivered to Australian women aged 12-26 years under the National HPV Vaccination Program promises to substantially reduce the incidence of genital warts. We review what is known about the burden of genital warts among Australian women. Incidence appears to peak among women aged 20-24 years, of whom 1.4% report genital warts in the previous year and who are hospitalised for treatment at a rate of 26 per 100 000. A surveillance system capable of documenting any decrease in the incidence of genital warts and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis after vaccination is urgently required.