Figure 3. Estimated median (and inter-quartile range) probability (%) of developing life-long immunity after HPV infection clearance by HPV type.

As the probability decreases from 50% to 0%, HPV infections are increasingly more likely to be cleared without developing immunity, i.e. increasingly characterized by a predominant SIS clearance pattern. By contrast as the probability increases from 50% to 100%, HPV infections are increasingly more likely to be cleared by developing immunity, i.e. increasingly characterized by predominant SIR clearance pattern.

Abbreviation: HPV= human papillomavirus; SIS=susceptible-infected-susceptible; SIR=susceptible-infected-resistant.