Nearly one in three men over the age of 15 in the world are infected with at least one variant of the virus. genital human papilloma (HPV)the most widespread sexually transmitted infection, according to the results of a study performed among the male population.
The study, published today in The Lancet Global Health and led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), is based on a systematic review and a meta-analysis assessing the prevalence of genital HPV infection in the general male population.
According to the publication, the overall combined prevalence of HPV in men over the age of 15 is high (31%), with a special incidence in sexually active men regardless of their age, who represent an important reservoir for genital HPV infections. .
Of the more than 200 different HPV variables, twelve are considered “high-risk” (HR-HPV) because of their carcinogenic nature and, according to the study findings, affect approximately one in five men worldwide with a global combined prevalence of 21%.
The estimates presented also show that the prevalence reaches its peak of infection in young adults between 25 and 29 years of age (35%), with genotype 16 being the most prevalent and at the same time the main cause (along with genotype 18) of cancer. cervical.
Geographically, the results indicate the highest prevalence of any type of HPV in sub-Saharan Africa (37%), followed by Europe and North America (36%), while the lowest prevalence was recorded in East and Southeast Asia, with a 15% for any type of human papilloma virus.
HPV-related cancers in men, mainly penile, anal, oral, or throat, reached approximately 69,400 cases in 2018, according to data from the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer.
For women, the human papillomavirus is the leading cause of cervical cancer, killing 340,000 women each year.
Despite the fact that most human papilloma infections are asymptomatic, the authors of the study intend to raise awareness with these data about the importance of incorporating the male population into prevention strategies and thus reduce morbidity and mortality in both women and men. in men.
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
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