Determinants of Prevalence, Acquisition, and Persistence of Human Papillomavirus in Healthy Mexican Military Men

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is sexually transmitted, but the nature of the infection in males is poorly understood. We sought to identify determinants of HPV infection, acquisition, and persistence in 1,030 healthy military men in Mexico. Methods: From July 2000 to July 2003, trained interviewers administered a questionnaire, conducted a genital examination, and collected samples. The presence of multiple HPV types in genital cells from the urethra, urethral meatus, scrotum, penile shaft, and coronal sulcus was evaluated. At baseline 1,030 participants and after 1-year follow-up 336 individuals were sampled using a highly sensitive DNA reverse blot strip assay. Results: HPV prevalence was 44.6%; infection with high-risk types was observed in 34.8% participants and 51.1% were multiply infected. After 1-year follow-up, 165 men remained free of HPV, 68 cleared their infection, 45

Prevalence and determinants of human papillomavirus infection in men attending vasectomy clinics in Mexico

“…22 In addition, the age-specific prevalence pattern of the infection in men, with a peak (13.6%) in HPV positivity among men under 25 years of age, and a subsequent steady decline until 40 years or more (6.0%), was also similar to the distribution found in women. 22 The presence of a peak in HPV prevalence at a younger ages is also in agreement with the high HPV positivity reported previously in Mexico among men 12,17 who, however, were more sexually active and, hence, more often HPV-positive (43-45%) than the present group of men attending vasectomy clinics.…”

“…Our present study of HPV infection among men attending vasectomy clinics in Mexico is one of the largest studies ever conducted, and one of the few not to be restricted to young men 12,16,17 or STD patients. 13 The overall prevalence of HPV positivity was 8.7%, and the prevalence among the most sexually active men ( 4 sexual partners) was 14.9%.…”

“…Two previous reports from Mexico 12,17 showed that more than one-third of the young men studied were infected with genital HPV. To further elucidate the characteristics of HPV infection in the general male population, we assessed the prevalence and determinants of infection with 35 HPV types among 779 Mexican men who attended public clinics to undergo vasectomy.…”

“…9,10 However, contrary to the relatively large amount of information on genital HPV infection in women, 2,11 large studies on HPV prevalence in the general male population are few. Furthermore, the majority of studies in men have focused on young individuals 12 or high-risk populations [e.g., men attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics 9,13,14 or enrolled in military service [15][16][17] ].Two previous reports from Mexico 12,17 showed that more than one-third of the young men studied were infected with genital HPV. To further elucidate the characteristics of HPV infection in the general male population, we assessed the prevalence and determinants of infection with 35 HPV types among 779 Mexican men who attended public clinics to undergo vasectomy.…”

“…9,10 However, contrary to the relatively large amount of information on genital HPV infection in women, 2,11 large studies on HPV prevalence in the general male population are few. Furthermore, the majority of studies in men have focused on young individuals 12 or high-risk populations [e.g., men attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics 9,13,14 or enrolled in military service [15][16][17] ].…”