Vaccine for human papillomavirus
Geneva: The epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women has been well documented but still less is known about the epidemiology of human papillomavirus in men. A new study published today in The Lancet Global Health shows that almost one in three men over the age of 15 are infected with at least one genital human papillomavirus type and one in five are infected with one or more of what are known as high-risk, or oncogenic, HPV types.
These estimates show that men frequently harbour genital human papillomavirus infections and emphasize the importance of incorporating men in efforts to control HPV infection and to reduce the incidence of human papillomavirus-related disease in both men and women, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated.
There are more than 200 human papillomavirus types that can be transmitted sexually, and at least 12 types are oncogenic.
Most human papillomavirus infections cause no symptoms and are clear without intervention, but certain types of human papillomavirus can lead to anogenital warts or cancer. HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women and each year more than 340,000 women die of cervical cancer related to HPV.
In men, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is an intergovernmental agency forming part of WHO, estimated that in 2018 there were more than 69,400 cases of cancer caused by human papillomavirus. HPV-related cancers in men include penile, anal, oral and throat cancers. These estimates emphasise the importance of incorporating men in comprehensive human papillomavirus prevention strategies to reduce human papillomavirus-related morbidity and mortality in men and ultimately achieve the elimination of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases.
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted viral infection worldwide, and previous research has shown that most sexually active men and women will acquire at least one genital HPV infection during their lives. The majority of HPV infections in men and women are asymptomatic, but they can lead to long-term sequelae and mortality. Each year, more than 340 000 women die of cervical cancer.
In men, human papillomavirus infection tends to manifest clinically as anogenital warts, which cause significant morbidity and increase HPV transmission rates.
– global bihari bureau
