Call for boys to get HPV vaccine

NHS Choices
March 1, 2011

The Daily Mirror has reported that “experts are calling for boys to be vaccinated against the human papilloma virus (HPV) after a study has found that 50% of men are infected with the virus”. Some strains of HPV have been linked to cancers, including cervical cancer in women and cancers of the penis, oral cavity and anus. Some strains also cause genital warts in males and females.

The news is based on an international study which checked 1,159 men for the virus every six months for over two years. The research in Brazilian, Mexican and American adults looked at rates of new infections and how quickly the men cleared their infections. It reportedly found that each year 6% of men acquire the cancer-causing strains of HPV. It also found that having a higher number of female and male sexual partners was linked to a higher risk of infection.

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