BackgroundPersisting infections with human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the indisputable cause of cervical cancer. The development of HPV-based preventive procedures, HPV vaccination and HPV testing are currently leading to major changes in cervical cancer prevention programs worldwide. A reduction of HPV infections and cancer precursors has been observed for young women in many countries one decade after the introduction of HPV vaccination. The focus is now on the integration of new testing approaches for screening of populations with increasing vaccination rates.