What is the relationship between men and HPV

  HPV testing has been increasingly used as a definite biological causative factor related to cervical cancer, and many HPV-infected patients are wondering whether their spouses should be tested as well.  Is HPV infection common in men? Should men be tested for HPV?  HPV infections of all types in the genital tract are common in the population. It is difficult to assess men in detail, and there are no large-scale studies of men, and it is assumed that more than half of all men will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. There is no certified method for testing men for HPV. Methods that are sufficiently valid and reliable to collect samples from the male genital tract for HPV testing have not been identified. From a clinical standpoint alone, there is no need for men to be tested for HPV. Even if men are infected with HPV, due to the physiological structure, they can basically clear the virus through their own immunity, and cancer rarely occurs.  What is the route of HPV infection in men?  Similar to women, men can be infected with HPV through intimate skin-to-skin contact, mainly through sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal), but simple everyday contact, such as shaking hands, is not an option.  What is the impact of HPV infection on men’s health?  HPV infection in men is not a disease in itself, and most infections can be cleared by the body’s own immune system and do not usually cause any symptoms or affect health.  Low-risk HPV viruses cause genital warts, usually around the anus, penis, scrotum, groin or thighs. Condyloma acuminatum is curable. High-risk HPV infection may cause penile or anal cancer in men (most often in gay, bisexual or HIV-positive men), but it is very rare.  In conclusion, HPV rarely causes serious health problems in men, especially those with very good immune systems.