Anal human papillomavirus infection prevalence in men who have sex with men is age independent: a role for recent sexual behavior?

Aim: Considering that data available on age-specific prevalence of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) are limited and conflicting, we aimed to assess the age-related trend of this infection in HIV-uninfected MSM. Materials & methods: Anal samples, collected using a Dacron swab, were analyzed by the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test (Roche Diagnostics, Milan, Italy). Results: Among the 408 males enrolled, HPV prevalence was 72.8% and did not significantly change across ages both for any (p = 0.506) and high-risk genotypes (p = 0.588). HPV prevalence by age group did not vary also after adjusting for median number and median age of recent partners. Conclusion: Among urban MSM at risk for sexually transmitted infections, this stability in anal HPV prevalence across all ages may be driven by multiple partnerships in association with sexual mixing across all age groups. Interventions to increase awareness of lifetime HPV risk and willingness to adopt preventive measures may reduce HPV-associated health burden in MSM.