• Kalyani Sonawane, Ryan Suk, Elizabeth Y Chiao, Jagpreet Chhatwal, Peihua Qiu, Timothy Wilkin, Alan G Nyitray, Andrew G Sikora, and Ashish A Deshmukh.
• From University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, Texas; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
• Ann. Intern. Med. 2017 Nov 21; 167 (10): 714724714-724.

BackgroundThe burden of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is disproportionately high among men, yet empirical evidence regarding the difference in prevalence of oral HPV infection between men and women is limited. Concordance of oral and genital HPV infection among men is unknown.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of oral HPV infection, as well as the concordance of oral and genital HPV infection, among U.S. men and women.DesignNationally representative survey.SettingCivilian noninstitutionalized population.ParticipantsAdults aged 18 to 69 years from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), 2011 to 2014.MeasurementsOral rinse, penile swab, and vaginal swab specimens were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction followed by type-specific hybridization.ResultsThe overall prevalence of oral HPV infection was 11.5% (95% CI, 9.8% to 13.1%) in men and 3.2% (CI, 2.7% to 3.8%) in women (equating to 11 million men and 3.2 million women nationwide). High-risk oral HPV infection was more prevalent among men (7.3% [CI, 6.0% to 8.6%]) than women (1.4% [CI, 1.0% to 1.8%]). Oral HPV 16 was 6 times more common in men (1.8% [CI, 1.3% to 2.2%]) than women (0.3% [CI, 0.1% to 0.5%]) (1.7 million men vs. 0.27 million women). Among men and women who reported having same-sex partners, the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection was 12.7% (CI, 7.0% to 18.4%) and 3.6% (CI, 1.4% to 5.9%), respectively. Among men who reported having 2 or more same-sex oral sex partners, the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection was 22.2% (CI, 9.6% to 34.8%). Oral HPV prevalence among men with concurrent genital HPV infection was 4-fold greater (19.3%) than among those without it (4.4%). Men had 5.4% (CI, 5.1% to 5.8%) greater predicted probability of high-risk oral HPV infection than women. The predicted probability of high-risk oral HPV infection was greatest among black participants, those who smoked more than 20 cigarettes daily, current marijuana users, and those who reported 16 or more lifetime vaginal or oral sex partners.LimitationSexual behaviors were self-reported.ConclusionOral HPV infection is common among U.S. men. This study's findings provide several policy implications to guide future OPSCC prevention efforts to combat this disease.Primary Funding SourceNational Cancer Institute.

30 keywords...

hide…