Experts have recommended that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine shoudl be given to men who have sex withmen (MSM) and those who are infected with HIV.

New recommendations also propose that children should be routinely vaccinated against a common form of gastroenteritis bug, rotavirus.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) of the Royal College of Physicians, in guidelines published today,recommends that HPV vaccine, which can lead to cervical cancer in women and is currently part of a vaccine programme for young girls, should be considered for MSM a, those who have HIV infection, or who had a bone marrow transplant.

The HPV vaccine, in addition to protecting against cervical cancer, also protects against sexually-transmitted warts.

The guidelines also recommend that the indications for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine should be extended to  include adults at increased medical risk.

In addition, it has also been recommended that whooping cough vaccine should be given to every pregnant woman at 27-36 weeks of pregnancy.