Gezimu Wubishet, Bekele Firomsa, Bekana Teshome, Demeke Ababo
Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Health Science, Wallaga University, Nekemte, Ethiopia.
Immunotargets Ther. 2024 Feb 17;13:95-98. doi: 10.2147/ITT.S451659. eCollection 2024.
The human papillomavirus is known to cause cervical and anogenital cancer and benign anogenital and cutaneous warts. Both males and females can contract the virus during sexual intercourse and skin-to-skin contact. Communities in low- and middle-income countries, including Africa, are particularly suffering from human papillomavirus-related diseases, mainly cervical cancer. Vaccination is the most economical and efficient prevention strategy to control human papillomavirus-related diseases. Undoubtedly, to control all types of human papillomavirus-related morbidity and mortality, the entire at-risk, sexually active population needs to be vaccinated regardless of their sex. However, the vaccination program, particularly in Africa, the world's most resource-limited region, is habitually limited to the female population, considering only the burden of cervical cancer. We think that it is impossible to fully mitigate the human papillomavirus infection by vaccinating only the female population, while males can carry and pass the virus. In addition, marginalizing males from this program seems to violate gender inequality and their sexual and reproductive health rights. Hence, we voice the need for global and local governments to consider and customize human papillomavirus vaccination programs for the male population. Also, it is better to consider the male population in different research studies regarding human papillomavirus-related malignant and benign conditions.
人乳头瘤病毒已知会引发宫颈癌和肛门生殖器癌以及良性肛门生殖器疣和皮肤疣。男性和女性在性交及皮肤接触过程中均可能感染该病毒。包括非洲在内的低收入和中等收入国家的社区尤其深受人乳头瘤病毒相关疾病的困扰,主要是宫颈癌。疫苗接种是控制人乳头瘤病毒相关疾病最经济有效的预防策略。毫无疑问,为控制各类人乳头瘤病毒相关的发病率和死亡率,所有有风险的性活跃人群无论性别都需要接种疫苗。然而,疫苗接种计划,尤其是在世界上资源最为有限的地区非洲,通常仅局限于女性群体,仅考虑到宫颈癌的负担。我们认为,仅对女性进行疫苗接种无法完全减轻人乳头瘤病毒感染,因为男性也可能携带并传播该病毒。此外,将男性排除在该计划之外似乎有违性别平等以及他们的性健康和生殖健康权利。因此,我们呼吁全球和地方政府考虑并为男性群体量身定制人乳头瘤病毒疫苗接种计划。此外,在关于人乳头瘤病毒相关恶性和良性病症的不同研究中,最好也将男性群体纳入考虑。