The systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence of genital HPV infection in the general male population based on studies published between 1995 and 2022.
The global pooled prevalence was 31% for any HPV and 21% for high-risk HPV. HPV-16 was the most prevalent HPV genotype (5%) followed by HPV-6 (4%).
HPV prevalence was high in young adults, reaching a maximum between the ages of 25 years and 29 years, and stabilized or slightly decreased thereafter.
Pooled prevalence estimates were similar for the UN Sustainable Development Goal geographical regions of Europe and Northern America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand (Oceania).
The estimates for Eastern and South-Eastern Asia were half that of the other regions.
The majority of HPV infections in men and women are asymptomatic, but they can lead to long-term sequelae and mortality.
Each year, more than 340 000 women die of cervical cancer.
In men, HPV infection tends to manifest clinically as anogenital warts, which cause significant morbidity and increase HPV transmission rates.
HPV infections are also associated with penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers, which are commonly linked to HPV type 16. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that there were about 69 400 cases of cancer in men caused by HPV in 2018.
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