One in three men infected with genital HPV globally, claims study

As per a new study, which was published in The Lancet Global Health journal, at least one in three men above the age of 15 is infected with at least one type of genital human papillomavirus (HPV), and one in five contracts one or more of high-risk HPV types.

As per the research, men frequently contract genital HPV infections and pressed on the need to involve men in efforts to control HPV infection and reduce the number of related diseases in both men and women.

HPV is a viral infection which commonly leads to skin or mucous membrane growths (warts). There exist more than 100 varieties of HPV.

"This global study on the prevalence of genital HPV infection among men confirms how widespread HPV infection is. HPV infection with high-risk HPV types can cause genital warts and oral, penile and anal cancer in men," stated Meg Doherty, Director of WHO's Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes.

"We must continue to look for opportunities to prevent HPV infection and to reduce the incidence of HPV-related disease in both men and women," said Doherty, in a statement.

HPV's global prevalence is 31 per cent: study

The meta-analysis and systematic review assessed the genital HPV infection's prevalence in the general male population on the basis of the studies published between 1995 and 2022.

The study further discovered that HPV's global pooled prevalence was 31 per cent and that of high-risk HPV was 21 per cent. HPV-16 was found to be the most prevalent HPV genotype (5 per cent ) which was followed by HPV-6 (4 per cent ).

The prevalence of HPV was high in young adults, which was found maximum in the age bracket of 25 years and 29 years, and slightly decreased or stabilised thereafter, said the researchers.

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They added that pooled prevalence estimates were found the same in the UN Sustainable Development Goal geographical regions of Europe and Northern America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand (Oceania).

As per the researchers, the estimates for Eastern and South-Eastern Asia were half in comparison to the other regions. They stated that the majority of HPV infections found in women and men are asymptomatic, but it can lead to mortality and long-term sequelae.

The study claimed that more than 340,000 women every year die of cervical cancer. The researchers said that HPV infection generally manifests clinically as anogenital warts in men which increases HPV transmission rates and leads to significant morbidity.

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