Do men get infected with HPV? It can cause genital warts or even cancer?
2023-08-04
HPV (human papillomavirus) is a common sexually transmitted disease, but we tend to focus on HPV infection in women, especially the risk of cervical cancer. In fact, men are equally susceptible to HPV, and the more serious ones will cause cancer after infection, which is an often-overlooked fact.
How is HPV spread?
There are several common ways HPV can be transmitted:
1) Sexual Behavior
HPV virus is mostly transmitted through sexual contact, including vagina, anus, penis, and mouth, or sharing of sex toys. It is important to note that study indicates men who have same-sex relationships are more susceptible to HPV anal infection, which may be that most of these sexual acts usually involve anal sex.
2) Non-sexual Contact
HPV can be spread through self-inoculation – transfer the infection to uninfected skin through touching the infected areas. Vertical transmission from mother to child is another possibility of infection. Infants may contract HPV through the placenta or via contact with maternal genital mucosa during labor.
If a man is infected, are there any apparent symptoms?
Low-risk HPV infections can cause genital and anal warts, while high-risk HPV infections do not have obvious symptoms or discomfort for most men, making them difficult to realize.
However, when a high-risk HPV infection persists and develops into a potential precancerous lesion, it can cause different symptoms, and men can develop cancers such as penile cancer if they are not treated promptly.
The early symptoms of penile cancer include swelling, bleeding, rash, and odor. Even if these symptoms may not be entirely caused by penile cancer, if these symptoms occur, you should seek professional medical advice and treatment as soon as possible.
The risk of HPV infection in women is highest between the ages of 18 and 25, and then gradually decreases with age. Men are more likely to be infected overall than women in the same age group. But compared with women, men do not have the same routine testing methods as regular smears, so it is more difficult to detect potential precancerous lesions early. Active HPV testing allows men to learn early about the risk of developing precancerous lesions and even cancer, protecting men's health and reducing the possibility of transmitting cancer-causing viruses to their partners.
HPV test methods
Currently, there are several HPV testing options available:
1) Swab Test
Generally divided into two types - healthcare professional sampling and self-sampling. Hospitals or clinics arrange healthcare professionals to perform swab sampling tests on different parts of the body, such as the mouth or genitals. For self-sampling tests, it usually requires inserting the swab into the male genitalia for sampling, and there may be some discomfort during the process.
2) Urine Test
Just collect the first 90-100 ml of urine comfortably and without any pain; The samples are then sent to the laboratory for accurate analysis with the help of urine DNA concentration technology.
INDICAID HPV Urine Test (with Report)
INDICAID HPV Urine Test is an accurate, private and easy-to-use test that detects the presence of HPV. Empowered by the patented PHASiFY technology for urine DNA concentration and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), the test can detect 27 types of HPV (14 high-risk HPVs and 13 low-risk HPVs) in urine samples, providing you a more efficient, convenient, and comprehensive analysis of your cancer risk.
• Lower the risk of developing cancer
• Non-invasive, private, easy-to-use
• Suitable for men & women - protect yourself and your partner
• Sample pick-up / drop-off service
• Test report in 5 working days
