title: Human Papillomavirus Infection Among 2460 Men in Denmark: Prevalence in Relation to Age Using 2 Human Papillomavirus DNA Testing Methods.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is crucial to understand the epidemiology and natural history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in both men and women, to prevent the increasing HPV-related disease burden in men. Data on HPV prevalence among men in the general population are limited. In this cross-sectional population-based study, we aimed to estimate genital HPV infection prevalence in Danish men using 2 different test methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Penile swab samples from 2460 male employees and conscripts at military barracks in Denmark were tested for HPV DNA with the hybrid capture 2 (HC2) method, and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, Inno-LiPA. The overall and age- and type-specific prevalence of HPV infection with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated, and the correlation between the 2 assays was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall HPV prevalence was 22.2% (95% CI, 20.6-23.9) in the HC2 test and 41.8% (95% CI, 39.9-43.8) with PCR. Of the PCR-positive samples, 50.9% were negative in the HC2 test. Of 183 PCR-positive samples that could not be genotyped (HPVX), 88.0% (95% CI, 83.2-92.7) were HC2 negative. The most prevalent types were HPV-51, HPV-16, HPV-66, HPV-53, and HPV-6. The prevalence of high-risk and low-risk HPV peaked among men aged 20 to 29 years, whereas the HPVX prevalence increased with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human papillomavirus is highly prevalent in the general male population of Denmark, with HPV-16 and HPV-51 being the most prevalent. Polymerase chain reaction detects twice as many positive samples as HC2 but includes HPVX, possibly representing cutaneous HPV types found on normal genital skin.
authors.affiliation: From the *Unit of Virus, Lifestyle and Genes, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark; †Danish Armed Forces Health Services, Roskilde, Denmark; ‡Medical Virology, Section of Experimental Virology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; and §Department of Gynecology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Julie Buchholt
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hebnes
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: Bugge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nøhr
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Hans Ole
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iftner
authors.forename: Susanne Krüger
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kjaer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D061809:Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires