Human papillomavirus prevalence and genotypic characteristics among men in Wuhan, China: a cross-sectional study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection represents a major public health concern in both women and men, contributing to a substantial anogenital and oropharyngeal disease burden. Nevertheless, comprehensive data on the genotype-specific epidemiology of HPV in the male population in Wuhan, China, are lacking. This study was conducted to address this gap.

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 2,999 male subjects undergoing HPV testing at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (January 2017 to July 2025) to analyze the prevalence and genotypic distribution of HPV.

Among 2,999 males, overall HPV prevalence was 38.6%, predominantly low-risk single-type infections. The top five genotypes were HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, HPV52, and HPV59. Although 20-39 year-olds comprised the largest proportion of cases, peak prevalence occurred in youth (≤ 20y) and elderly (≥ 60y) groups (P < 0.001 for age difference). HPV6 was the most common genotype in every age stratum.

In this group of males in Wuhan, HPV infection prevalence was relatively high and dominated by low-risk, single-type infections. Adolescents (≤ 20 years) and older men (≥ 60 years) are at highest risk. These findings support enhanced HPV education targeting youth and the elderly and broader promotion of HPV vaccination among males.