Men carry the HPV virus

• April 26, 2024

Is a reality. Both men and women are carriers of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). However, the most important role in the subject of contagion falls predominantly in men who are considered potential multiple transmitters , according to research carried out by the Catalan Institute of Oncology.

Dr. Xavier Bosch, one of its specialists, clarifies that sexual contact with women who practice commercial sex plays an important role, since they are a reservoir of high-risk HPV. "While both act as carriers and vectors of oncogenic HPV, men can increase the risk of infecting the virus and the cervical cancer in their partners, "says Bosch.

This assertion was supported by a previous study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which showed that many men who had had sex with women from high risk , had infected their wives who, as a result, developed cervical cancer.

What men should know about HPV

There is encouraging evidence for men: circumcision reduces the risk of HPV infection and that of their women from cervical cancer, as confirmed by IARC. The bad news is that the human papillomavirus it is asymptomatic and if genital warts or "clusters of cauliflower" are not present, as is known by their appearance to condylomas or tumors, it is frankly difficult to know if a man is infected.

Who has it?

HPV is very common and it is estimated that close to 70% of people with an active sex life has been in contact with him. According to doctors Silvia Francheschi, Gary Clifford and Martín Plumier of the IARC, at some point in their lives, between 5% and 40% of adult women and men throughout the world are carriers of the virus.

Other research by the Institute of Tropical Medicine and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), affirms that men carrying HIV-1, one of the viruses that transmit AIDS, have a high possibility of carrying also the HPV

Ways of HPV infection

Scientific evidence maintains that the only way to HPV transmission is the sexual and not through the exchange of towels or wet scrubs that have contact with the genital area, or in public toilets.

While AIDS is transmitted by exchange of fluids, HPV does so by contact between epithelia (epithelial and mucosal cells that are found in pharynx, tongue, tonsils, vagina, vulva, penis, scrotum and anus). Therefore, specialists recommend the proper use of condoms to reduce the risk of infection. However, there is also a risk of contracting it if the cervical mucus rubs with a scrotal or perianal pouch infected with HPV.

If the woman has the virus in the epithelium of the urethra, it can infect the man with the rubbing of the epithelia; if the man has it inside or on the glans, when he ejaculates, he drags the cells to the urethra of his partner; in this case, if the condom is used properly, it does not have to be contagious.

Video Medicine: HPV Causing Cancer In Men (April 2024).