Age-specific prevalence and genotype distribution of male HPV infection in Jinshan District, Shanghai, China: A single-center cross-sectional study

Objective To estimate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among males in Jinshan District, Shanghai, China. Methods Study design: single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Tinglin Hospital, Jinshan District, Shanghai, China. Participants: 116 males aged 22–71 years from outpatient, inpatient, and routine physical examination settings. Outcomes: overall HPV prevalence, age-specific prevalence, and genotype distribution (high-risk and low-risk). Results We first describe the overall and age-specific prevalence, followed by genotype distribution and the pattern of single versus multiple infections. A total of 116 males aged 22 to 71 years old were enrolled for investigation. The overall HPV infection rate was 31.90% (37/116). The infection rates of different HPV subtypes in various age groups were listed as follows: 12% (3/25) for the 22–30 age group, 27.59% (8/29) for the 31–40 age group, 50% (18/36) for the 41–50 age group, 16.67% (3/18) for the 51–60 age group, and 62.5% (5/8) for the over 60 age group. Among the infected individuals, 27 out of 116 (23.28%) suffered from single subtype infections, while 8 individuals (6.90%) endured dual infections, and 2 individuals (1.72%) had three or more subtypes detected. High-risk HPVs accounted for 30.17%, with the highest infection rates observed in HPVs including HPV-53, HPV-58, HPV-52, HPV-16, and HPV-31. In comparison, low-risk HPVs accounted for 12.93%, with the highest infection rates seen in HPVs including HPV-6, HPV-81, and HPV-11. Apart from that, HPVs such as HPV-18, HPV-59, HPV-73, HPV-70 and HPV-83 were not detected in any of the specimens. Conclusion Males are predominantly infected with a single-subtype HPV infection. The infection rate is highest in the age group of 60 and above, while the infection rate is the lowest in the age group of 22–30 years. It is essential to formulate corresponding strategies and screening plans for the elderly over 60 years to lower or prevent the risk of HPV infection.