Site-specific human papillomavirus infection in adolescent men who have sex with men (HYPER): an observational cohort study

This study found a high incidence of HPV infection (57 and 12 per 100 person-years for any anal and penile infection respectively) over 1 year follow-up period in 200 Australian adolescent and young MSM, suggesting that vaccination coverage in this group will need to be high.

The authors of a Comment article suggest that since MSM have a high burden of anal and penile cancers, and routine HPV-associated-cancer prevention programmes for men are sparse, vaccination is an especially important strategy for prevention of cancer and reduction of health disparities.

 

Currently in the UK, males of any age are not covered by the national HPV vaccination programme. However the JCVI recently issued an interim statement recommending that a programme for the vaccination of MSM aged 16 to 40 years should be implemented in GUM and HIV clinics in the UK using the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, subject to the programme being commissioned and implemented at a cost-effective price.