Prevalence, incidence, clearance, and associated factors of genital human papillomavirus infection among men: a population-based cohort study in rural China.

BACKGROUND

The natural history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in men on a population base has rarely been studied in general, particularly among Chinese men.

METHODS

A total of 1,286 men ages 25 to 65 years from rural China were enrolled during 2009-2010 and their genital HPV infection status was assessed biannually for up to seven visits using PCR and sequencing methods. Prevalence analysis was performed among men with at least one valid HPV result (N = 1,279) and men with at least two consecutive HPV results (N = 1,059) were included in incidence and clearance analyses (median follow-up time, 31.8 months; interquartile range, 15.4-37.9 months).

RESULTS

The prevalence and incidence of any HPV type, oncogenic, and nononcogenic HPV were 17.8%, 6.4%, 12.4%, and 14.6, 4.9, 10.8 per 1,000 person months, respectively. The median duration of infection with any HPV type, oncogenic, and nononcogenic HPV was 11.5, 6.8, and 11.5 months, respectively. The number of lifetime sexual partners was consistently associated with increased risk of prevalent and incident infection of HPV. Men ages 25 to 50 years had a higher incidence and longer duration of HPV infection than older men (51-65 years).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPACT

This epidemiologic investigation provides basic information of genital HPV infection among the Chinese male population; these data are crucial for the consideration of primary strategies against HPV-related carcinoma in the Chinese male and female population.