Human papillomavirus infection in men is quite common; however, most infections with this virus have no symptoms.
Some cases may present genital warts and others develop various types of cancer, such as cancer of the penis, anus, mouth and throat.
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What is the human papillomavirus (HPV)?
The human papillomavirus is a group of viruses that affect the skin and mucous membranes of the human body.
There are more than 100 types of papilloma virus, of which about 40 types can be transmitted through sexual contact.
Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is very common. Most sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their life.
These viruses can infect the genital areas of men, including the skin of the penis or anus and the parts around it.
They can also infect the mouth and throat.
How do men get the human papillomavirus?
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is transmitted by genital contact, most often through vaginal or anal sex. It can also be transmitted during oral sex.
The presence of the papilloma virus has also been demonstrated in men who have NOT started an active sexual life. In these cases, the contamination with the virus occurs through hand-genital and genital-genital contact without penetration.
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Since HPV usually has no symptoms, most men and women can acquire the virus and pass it on to their partners without knowing it.
A person can have HPV even if years have passed since they had sex.
Even men who have had only one sexual partner in their entire lives can get HPV.
Frequency of Papillomavirus Infection in Men
In various studies that have been carried out, the frequency of infection in men varies between 30% in men between 18 and 22 years old and 60% among older men (58 and 59 years old).
In general, the frequency of infection increases with age, the group most infected by this virus being older men.
The risk of having a human papillomavirus infection is twice as high in older men compared to the frequency of infection in younger men.
What are the health problems that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes in men?
Most men with human papillomavirus (HPV) do not have any symptoms.
However, some types of HPV can cause genital warts, precancerous lesions, and various types of cancer.
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Genital warts
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The genital warts are one or multiple fleshy growths that appear in the genital area. They can be cauliflower-shaped, raised, or flat.
In men, genital warts can appear around the anus or on the penis, scrotum (skin that covers the testicles), groin, or on the thighs.
Warts can also develop on the mouth, tonsils, tongue, and lips.
Even men who have never had anal sex can develop warts around the anus.
Warts can appear weeks or months after sexual contact with the infected person.
On the other hand a person can have the type of human papillomavirus that causes genital warts and never develop any warts.
For this reason, not always the two members of a couple who have sexual contact and are infected with the human papillomavirus develop genital warts.
Squamous intraepithelial neoplasia or carcinoma in situ of the penis
Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis refers to abnormal changes in the cells, called carcinoma in situ, a very early stage of cancer in which tumor cells have not yet invaded the surrounding tissues and that occur on the surface of the skin of the penis. penis.
There are two forms of presentation:
- Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis on the glans (head of the penis) or foreskin of the penis is also called erythroplasia of Queyrat.
- Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis on the shaft of the penis is also called Bowen’s disease.
