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. 2020 Sep 18;20(1):683.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-020-05376-x.

Sex differences in the prevalence and determinants of HPV-related external genital lesions in young adults: a national cross-sectional survey in Brazil

Juliana Comerlato  1   2 , Natália Luiza Kops  3 , Marina Bessel  3 , Jaqueline Driemeyer Horvath  3 , Bruna Vieira Fernandes  1   2 , Luisa Lina Villa  4 , Flavia Moreno Alves de Souza  5 , Gerson Fernando Mendes Pereira  5 , Eliana Márcia Wendland  6   7
Affiliations

Sex differences in the prevalence and determinants of HPV-related external genital lesions in young adults: a national cross-sectional survey in Brazil

Juliana Comerlato et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: External genital lesions (EGL) are the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, determinants and sex differences in EGL among young adults from Brazil.

Methods: Overall, 7694 participants (aged 16 to 25 years) underwent an interview, genital examination and sampling for HPV genotyping.

Results: The prevalence of EGL was 4.08% (234) and is more frequent in men (5.72%) than women (2.31%) (p < 0.001). Genital lesions were significantly associated with male sex, infection by high-risk and multiple HPV types, having more than two sexual partners in the last year, smoking status and the presence of other STI. While alcohol use was associated with a higher prevalence of EGL in women, same-sex sexual relationship increase the prevalence in men. In the EGL group, 67.79% (p = 0.032) were positive for HPV infection and the types HPV6 and HPV11 were the most prevalent ones.

Conclusion: The prevalence of EGL in young adults was consistently high, and most cases were associated with genital HPV infection and STIs. Although men have a higher prevalence, both sexes share most genital lesion determinants. The promotion of sexual education and vaccination especially focus in young men, who are usually outside the targets of primary health care programmes, can prevent EGL in Brazilian young adults.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Genital warts; HPV; Human papillomavirus; Prevalence in young adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

Luisa L. Villa is a consultant and speaker for HPV vaccines at Merck, Sharp & Dohme and a consultant for BD, Roche and Qiagen regarding HPV tests. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sex differences in external genital lesions prevalence and associated characteristics
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sex distribution of external genital lesions by Brazilian geographical region. (*P value = 0.032)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
HPV DNA prevalence in participants with and without external genital lesions (EGL)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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