Male HPV Research Articles

The predicted impact of HPV vaccination on male infections and male HPV-related cancers in Australia

Australia implemented a National HPV Vaccination Program in 2007, with routine vaccination of 12-13 year old females and catch-up in females aged 13-26 years to 2009. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of the current female-only national vaccination program on males, and then to estimate the incremental benefits to males from being included in the program. We used preliminary data to estimate vaccination coverage in females. We then fitted a dynamic model of sexual behaviour and HPV transmission in Australia to local data on female pre-vaccination age-specific HPV prevalence, predicted the corresponding pre-vaccination prevalence in males due to heterosexual transmission, and modelled the short and long term impact of female-only versus female-and-male vaccination programs. The estimated 3-dose female coverage rates were 78% (range 70-80%) for ongoing coverage in 12-13 year old girls; and from 74% (range 70-80%) in 14 year olds, to 25% (range 15-35%) for women aged 26 years old in 2007. The median estimate for age-standardised pre-vaccination HPV 16 prevalence in females and males aged 15-59 years was 3.2% (95% range: 2.4-4.1%) and 3.1% (95% range: 2.2-4.2%), respectively. The current program in females is predicted to result in a 68% reduction in male HPV 16 infections by 2050, leading to an estimated long term reduction of 14% in rates of cancers of the head, neck and anogenital area. The estimated proportion of the maximum possible vaccine-conferred benefit to males from a female-and-male program which will be achieved by female-only vaccination is 73% (range in probabilistic sensitivity analysis: 53-78%). In conclusion, up to three-quarters of the maximum possible vaccination-conferred benefit to males due to reduced heterosexual transmission will be achieved by the existing female-only program.

Male HPV Vaccine Will Need Careful Promotion

Male HPV Vaccine Will Need Careful Promotion

Screening for human papillomavirus: Is urine useful?

Persistent infection with high-risk Human papillomavirus (hr-HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, and 45) is the main risk factor for developing malignant genital lesions. Screening methods and follow-up schedules for cervical cancer are well known. A golden standard to screen and monitor men does not exist yet, because HPV-related, life threatening malignancies in men are rare. The importance of male HPV screening lies mainly in HPV vaccination. Young females are the target group for HPV, but men are considered to be the reservoir for HPV and to have a role in the perpetuation of the infection in the general population. We looked at the usefulness of urine as a tool for HPV screening. Pubmed was searched with the words ''HPV'', ''Urine,'' and ''HPV-DNA''. The chance of finding HPV-DNA in urine is higher in men with lesions in the urethra than outside the urethra, and in women with abnormal cervical cytology. In general, the results of testing urine for HPV-DNA are better for women than for men, probably because of the anatomical position of the urethra to the vagina, vulva, and cervix. In both genders, urine HPV prevalence is higher in HIV pos patients and in high-risk populations. Urine, to screen asymptomatic low-risk-profile (wo)men seems less useful because their urine samples are often inadequate. If urine proves to be the best medium to screen, a low-risk population remains controversial.

Reliability of sample collection and laboratory testing for HPV Detection in Men

Analysis of male HPV infection is hindered frequently by the lack of consistency in collection methods and sample adequacy for detection of HPV with molecular methods. Presented here are the reliability of sample collection of male anogenital skin exfoliated cells, as well as reliability of PCR-based HPV detection method and genotyping analysis. Concordance of HPV test for paired collected samples from different anatomical sites was determined. The highest agreement was observed for penile shaft with a kappa ( κ) = 0.75 (95% CI: 0.63–0.86), followed by perianal area ( κ = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51–0.86); and lowest at the anal canal ( κ = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35–0.74) and scrotum ( κ = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.40–0.69). The reliability of laboratory testing was highest for detection of oncogenic types ( κ = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.71–1.00) and for multiple-type HPV infections ( κ = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72–0.95) compared to detection of non-oncogenic HPV types ( κ = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47–0.82) or single HPV-type detection ( κ = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32–0.72). In conclusion, the swab method used to obtain skin exfoliated cells is adequate for sample collection, and the specimens can be used reliably for molecular HPV testing.

HPV infection in male partners of women with squamous intraepithelial neoplasia and/or high-risk HPV.

In order to estimate the prevalence of HPV infection in male partners of women with squamous intraepithelial lesions and/or high risk HPV, we examined 25 men. In situ hybridisation or polymerase chain reaction was used to detect HPV DNA in biopsied tissue or cell samples from the genital epithelium. Twenty (80%) of the male consorts had clinical features suggestive of HPV infection. Of these, 18 (90%) had detectable HPV DNA, 11 (65%) of the high risk type. In 9 cases HPV DNA was detected by in situ hybridisation and in 9 by polymerase chain reaction. Concordance between female and male HPV type was found in 8 cases (32%), but regarding high-risk HPV carriage as such, 10 (40%) couples corresponded. A search for HPV infection in male partners of women known to be infected with high-risk HPV seems worthwhile.

Impact of sexual habits on the clinical evaluation of male HPV infection.

A series of 199 male regular sexual partners of women attending an STD clinic for the examination and treatment of HPV-associated diseases was examined by peniscopy, surgical biopsy and nucleic acid hybridization for the presence of clinical, histological and molecular markers pathognomic of HPV infection. There was a 100% correlation between condylomata acuminata and detection of HPV type 6 or 11 DNA. Papillary lesions displayed neither histological signs of HPV infection, nor did they harbor HPV DNA (viral types 6, 11, 16, 18, 33) while 44.9% (22/49) of acetowhite epithelia showed HPV-suggestive histological changes. Of the 19 analysed for HPV DNA, 15.8% (3/19) harbored HPV 6/11 and 16 DNA. Regular male and female sexual partners did not always harbor the same HPV types, showing that latent or occult infection and the sexual habits of each individual play an important role in the clinical manifestations of HPV infection observed in sexual couples. The present data show that: i) the likelihood of developing a clinical HPV lesion was affected, to a large extent, by the previous sexual history and habits in the partners of women with flat condylomata, while partners of women with condylomata acuminata or CINs displayed a higher correlation with the current state of infection in their regular partner; ii) despite the assessed infective state of their consorts, men with a low lifetime number of sexual partners seldom displayed HPV-associated acetowhitening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)