ORAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN IN LATIN AMERICA: A REVIEW

Objective: Men who have sex with men run a high risk of oral human papillomavirus, and studies have investigated its prevalence in Latin America. It is important to know the public health challenges that the region faces regarding oral human papillomavirus and its association with oropharyngeal cancer. Thus, the aim of this study was to review the status of oral human papillomavirus in men who have sex with men in Latin America. Materials and Methods: We reviewed studies involving cohorts of men who have sex with men in Latin American countries. Results: The prevalence of oral human papillomavirus in men who have sex with men ranged from 14.3% to 94.5% according to studies performed in Latin American countries. In those countries, the oral human papillomavirus genotypes were mostly HPV-16 and HPV-58. The prevalence of the infection is higher in men living with HIV and having sex with men than in heterosexual men and in men without HIV having sex with men. Conclusions: Oral human papillomavirus in men who have sex with men is a major challenge in Latin America. Social policies to prevent, diagnose, and treat the oral human papillomavirus infection in men who have sex with men need to be developed and applied.