A third of men carry the HPV virus – 09/26/2023 – Health

One third of men carry the HPV virus (human papillomavirus), and one in five is infected with one or more high-risk subtypes, which are linked to cancer.

The warning comes from the World Health Organization (WHO), based on a review of studies published in The Lancet Global Health.

The article assessed the prevalence of the infection based on works published between 1995 and 2022, including data from 35 countries. The most prevalent type found was 16, considered to have high oncogenic potential, followed by 6, also associated with tumors.

The most affected men in all countries are young adults, mainly aged 25 to 29. According to the authors, the results show that sexually active men, regardless of age, are reservoirs of genital infection and, therefore, it is necessary to increase prevention measures.

HPV is mainly transmitted sexually, whether vaginally, anal or orally. In most cases, the immune system can eliminate it quickly, but in others, the virus can remain latent in the body and be reactivated years later, resulting in genital warts and lesions that have the potential to develop into cancer. Treatment varies according to characteristics, such as the number of lesions, the size of the tumor and the affected area. It may include the use of ointments with immunological action, cauterization of the lesions and surgical excision.

Of the more than 100 subtypes of the virus, approximately 40 are related to genital infections. Among them, some are especially associated with a greater risk of cancer of the cervix, vagina, anus, penis and malignant tumors in the oropharynx.

“This is a very common and extremely transmissible virus. The vast majority of the population, around 70%, will come into contact with it at some point”, says urologist Daniel Suslik Zylbersztejn, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein and coordinator of the Fleury Fertility.

Symptoms are not always visible, and there may be microlesions that are difficult to identify. There are specific tests capable of detecting the genetic material of the virus to confirm the infection, such as the DNA detection test using the real-time PCR technique, which can also identify the infecting HPV subtype. It is important to highlight that even asymptomatic carriers can transmit HPV.

How to prevent HPV?

“In addition to using a condom during sexual intercourse, the vaccine is essential as it prepares the immune system to respond better to an infection, helping to fight the virus”, says the doctor. Zylbersztejn also remembers that “even the use of a condom does not 100% prevent HPV infection, as the virus can be in areas of the genital region not covered by the device, which is why the vaccine is an important method of reducing risks”.

The vaccine is safe and prevents infection by the four most prevalent types associated with tumors. It is available on the public network for boys and girls between 9 and 14 years old, as well as immunosuppressed men and women, such as those with HIV and transplant recipients, up to 45 years of age. In the private network, it is now possible to find the new nonavalent vaccine, which was recently introduced in Brazil and protects against 9 subtypes of HPV.