A man contracts human papilloma virus, or HPV, in the same way as a woman. The types of HPVs that cause genital warts and genital cancers are transmitted from person-to-person by sexual contact. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that HPV is passed on more often by vaginal and anal sex, but can also be transmitted during oral sex.
HPV
Human papilloma viruses are a group of more than 100 related viruses. The CDC says that more than 40 types of HPV can infect the genitals. The immune system eradicates most infections, and no treatment is required. When the immune system has been exposed to a particular HPV type, infection and symptoms can no longer occur with subsequent exposure, but other types of HPV can still cause infection.
Genital Warts
Genital warts are noncancerous tumors that develop on the skin of the urethra, penis, scrotum and anus in men. The warts may appear several weeks or several months after sexual contact with an infected person. HPV types 6 and 11 cause more than 90 percent of the cases of genital warts. These HPV types are not the same types of HPV that cause cancer. The CDC reports that approximately 1 percent of sexually active men in the U.S. have genital warts at any one time.
Cancer
In addition to ovarian cancer, HPV infection can also cause vulvar, penile, vaginal, anal and, more rarely, head and neck cancers. The CDC says that anal and penile cancers are rare in men in the U.S. The American Cancer Society reported that just over 1,500 men were diagnosed with penile cancer in 2006 and about 1,900 men were diagnosed with anal cancer in 2007. The CDC also states that bisexual men are 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than heterosexual men.
Vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration approved Gardasil vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts in women in June of 2006. Gardasil only protects against viral infection from HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11. However, 90 percent of genital warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11, and 70 percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV types 16 and 18. Gardasil was approved by the FDA in 2009 to prevent the occurrence of genital warts in men.
Treatment
There is not a cure for HPV infection in either women or men. The Gardasil vaccine is used as a preventive action to reduce the risk of contracting HPV types that cause cancer and genital warts. In large populations of vaccinated people, the transmission of HPV will also decrease. Treatments for genital warts include cryotherapy, surgery and drugs. Anal and penile cancers are most often treated with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
