New insight into HPV infection in young males

With all the talk over the past year about preventing human papilloma virus in girls, the fact that boys get HPV as well is often downplayed. A small study from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, provided new insight into the under-recognized issue of HPV infection in young males.

David J. Breland, MD, lead author of the study, “Type Description and Risk Factors Associated with HPV Infection in Young Men,” analyzed 25 young males with HPV-positive female partners. The study specifically focused on determining the prevalence of and risks for HPV infection at different anatomic sites (eg, buccal mucosa, hand, and anogenital area) within the 25 participants.

According to the researchers, 75% had at least one site positive for HPV. Eighteen were from the anogenital site, seven from the hand, and two from oral samples. The most common types found in anogenital samples were HPV 16 (17%), 84 (17%), and 62 (13%), and in the hand HPV 84 (17%). Although hand and oral infections were less common, 100% of HPV types from these sites were found also in the anogenital area.

During the platform session, Dr. Breland added that there was an 82% concordance between the HPV type of studied males and their corresponding female partners. Behavior within the studied males was also analyzed, showing an increased detection of HPV in participants who used alcohol and marijuana.