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Uncircumcised men with HPV may be more likely to acquire HIV than men without HPV
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Men with glans/coronal sulcus specimens that were positive for human papillomavirus were nearly twice as likely to acquire HIV as men with human papillomavirus-negative specimens, according to recent study findings.
Researchers collected exfoliated penile cells from the glans/coronal sulcus and the shaft of 2,186 HIV-seronegative, sexually active 18- to 24-year-old Kenyan men. A wide range of positive HPV DNA types existed among 1,089 of these men.
The prevalence of HPV in specimens from the glans/coronal sulcus was 46% vs. 18% in the shaft (P<.001).
Follow-up data at 42 months indicated that the cumulative incidence of HIV infection was 5.8% (95% CI, 3.6%-7.9%) among men with HPV-positive glans/coronal sulcus specimens and 3.7% (95% CI, 1.8%-5.6%) among men with HPV-negative glans/coronal sulcus specimens (P=.01). Follow-up data for both sites (glans/coronal sulcus and shaft) indicated that the cumulative incidence of HIV was 5.3% (95% CI, 3.4%-7.3%) among men with positive HPV specimens and 4% (95% CI, 1.9%–6.1%) among men with HPV-negative specimens (P=.04).
After controlling for subsequent circumcision status, baseline herpes simplex virus type 2 serostatus and sexual and sociodemographic risk factors, the researchers determined that the HR for HIV infection among men with HPV-positive glans/coronal sulcus specimens was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.1–2.9) compared with men with negative glans/coronal sulcus specimens.
Men infected with multiple HPV types were not more likely to acquire HIV than men with single HPV infections (P=.37).
The researchers wrote that “the results suggest an independent increased risk of HIV seroconversion among HPV-positive men.” HPV prevention programs could be a tool for preventing HIV, according to the researchers.
Smith JS. J Infect Dis. 2010;201:1677-1685.